A Sea of Troubles
by TsunadeJr71
Summary: Seven years after the Nine Tails' attack, ANBU Kakashi is assigned a mission. He has to assassinate a chuunin who has apparently turned rogue: one Umino Iruka. But this must surely be a terrible injustice. Rated M. Yaoi.
1. To Say We End the Heartache

A SEA OF TROUBLES

Disclaimer: I didn't invent Naruto and this is unbeta'd so apols for any errors.

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><p>Chapter 1 - To Say We End the Heartache<p>

Ta ta ta ta ta. A bird tapping at a window. Kakashi closed his eyes and pulled his shuriken printed bedsheets over his head. The tapping continued. Insistently. The silver haired shinobi rolled over and glanced outside with half-lidded eye. It was a direct summons from the Hokage no less. Ah well. He hadn't been sleeping anyway.

The Third looked up from his desk, eyes peering from behind his paperwork as the ANBU materialised before him. Such an elegant teleportation. It was so easy to appreciate how this shinobi had been a student of the Fourth. The Third laid down his pipe and smiled at the ninja standing before him.

"Ah, Kakashi," the Hokage greeted him.

Kakashi bristled slightly. He was ANBU. He was wearing his standard issue uniform, grey and black armour, metal arm guards and porcelain dog mask concealing his face. But it was impossible to disguise his distinctive hair. The Hokage always called him 'Kakashi' rather than use his codename.

"Good afternoon Hokage sama," he responded politely.

The Third smiled and gestured for the ANBU to sit. Kakashi shook his head briefly, almost indiscernibly, and remained standing.

Sarutobi took an interest in all Leaf shinobi, but had some favourites and those he had a special concern for. Younger shinobi, those who had had particularly tough childhoods, those who had lost their parents. And those who were the disciples of his disciples. It pleased him enormously to observe how they were developing and was always incredibly proud that his values and the values of those before him had passed down from generation to generation: Jiraiya, Minato, Kakashi – they all carried the Will of Fire in their souls.

Although the ANBU was not aware of it, the Third had made a point of following his career very closely. Sarutobi felt deeply for Kakashi. He had always felt terribly guilty that he had not been able to prevent Sakumo's suicide. He was enormously impressed that the White Fang's son had gone through a huge amount of personal trauma at such a young age but had remained dedicated to his role and was clearly going to become a shinobi of great prowess, probably the best of his generation. The silver-haired young man hadn't really noticed it yet, but the Hokage knew very well that the ninja standing before him, just barely into his twenties, was already developing a fearsome reputation both in the village as well as the wider shinobi world. He had a feeling that this young man would probably become more famous than his father.

"How are you Kakashi?" the Third asked in a gentle tone.

"I am fine, thank you, Hokage sama," he replied impassively.

Professional. Kakashi was always professional.

Kakashi wasn't fine. He was about as far from fine as it was possible to be. He had heard the news about Rin just days ago. She had been killed, returning from a mission which she had completed successfully. But she had run into some enemy ninja on her return and, despite her putting up a tremendous fight, she had not only been defeated, she had been tortured, eventually dying from her wounds. She had apparently suffered horribly. It made Kakashi feel sick just thinking about it.

And then there was one.

Team Minato, a team of extraordinary talent and proficiency, reduced to a single shinobi. Kakashi.

The Hokage continued, "I have a mission for you. I am sorry to have to give this to you so soon, but we are very stretched at the moment."

Kakashi nodded. The Third's tone of voice became more sombre.

"I am afraid that we have a Leaf ninja turn rogue. A chuunin team were sent out to complete a mission and only three shinobi from the four man cell returned. They had barely made it back alive. Their mission report gave me cause for deep concern. The other chuunin, the cell leader, has defected to Iwagakure. He was entrusted with important information concerning Konoha and now represents a significant security risk."

Iwagakure? The village that had fought against Konoha more than any other.

Sarutobi handed Kakashi the file. The ANBU opened it and studied the contents of the report intently.

"So this is an assassination mission?"

"I'm afraid so." The Hokage couldn't suppress a sigh. "I am sorry to say that I had high hopes for this shinobi, but he has let the village down. Maybe this mission was just too much for him, it was his first as a cell leader. He is young and inexperienced, but I always considered him loyal."

"His name?"

"Umino Iruka."

Kakashi shrugged. The name didn't mean anything to him. But he noticed an almost imperceptible wavering in the Hokage's voice as he spoke the chuunin's name. He looked up to observe the village leader.

The Third was a compassionate man. It was impossible to describe how desperately disappointed he was that this had happened. He had worked so hard to comfort the teenager after the death of his parents. So many youngsters had suffered after the Nine Tails' attack but no one had needed support more than this sensitive young man. The Hokage had had plans for this chuunin's future but he needed him to have completed a number of missions as a leader before he could offer him the job he felt he would be best suited for.

Such a shame. The Hokage shook his head wistfully and beckoned for Kakashi to depart. The ANBU bowed respectfully and promptly vanished.

The Third sat back in his chair and re-lit his pipe, puffing gently as the clouds of bluish smoke billowing around him. He sat back in his chair and stroked his goatee beard with a heavy heart as he looked out across the village.

Such a shame.

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><p>Early the following morning, Kakashi prepared for the mission. Standard issue ANBU gear, plus light travelling clothes in case a civilian disguise should be needed. This task wasn't going to be difficult, the rogue was a chuunin and a young one at that. Well, eighteen wasn't that young, most of Kakashi's contemporaries had made chuunin rank well before their teens, a necessity of fighting in a great war. This Leaf ninja was clearly inexperienced and had probably exercised poor judgement, most likely under duress, a decision that would cost him his life. The rules were simple: if you defect, you should expect to die.<p>

Kakashi didn't enjoy assassination missions. If he had to kill in the heat of battle or during a one-on-one combat, he could justify to himself that at least it was in the defence of himself or his comrades. Cold-blooded assassination was far more difficult to reconcile. But he was professional. Always professional.

Before he left Konoha, he made his way to the memorial stone. He knew that this visit was going to be particularly difficult. Harder than ever. It was a cool morning, overcast and grey, with a light mist gently rising from the dewy grass of the commemorative garden, swirling around the stone itself. Kakashi's dark mood matched the atmosphere, it was almost as though the climate was commiserating with him.

When Kakashi reached the memorial he saw it for the first time. Rin's name, freshly carved. He bowed deeply to offer his respects, then leaned forward and softly traced his fingertips over the shape of the carving, following the simple, angular katakana which spelled out her name, signified her legacy. The edges of the characters were still sharp from the stonemason's chisel and Kakashi nicked his finger as it brushed over the characters. So new that the words cut into the obsidian stone had not been tempered and smoothed by the wind and rain.

His fingertips then moved across the memorial to another name, this one all too familiar.

Uchiha Obito.

Every day he had spent in Konoha since his friend's death he had made a point of visiting the stone to pay tribute to Obito's courage but – more importantly - to apologise to him. Every day he spoke the same words to a ghost, words he had should have told his comrade when he had had the chance. He'd been such an idiot to have argued with his best friend and shamed his own father.

So much regret. So much pain.

And finally he turned his thoughts to the last name he had been seeking that was spelled out on that stone - his sensei, Minato.

Minato had been like a second father to him. He had been an inspiration. He was the one person in the world who had truly understood his eccentric genius student. Kakashi missed Minato so much it hurt. He had always had a huge amount of admiration for his teacher because he felt that the Fourth was a rarity in the shinobi world – one who had truly known joy and what it was to be happy. More than anything, he missed his former sensei's smile. He always tried to smile beneath his mask as he paid tribute to his teacher, hoping amongst hope that he might find true happiness one day.

As he studied the names on the stone, his eye caught sight of another two – names that had previously not meant anything to him: those of Umino Kaigara and Umino Jima. Their names were carved close to the Fourth's, close enough for Kakashi to surmise that they too had probably been killed by the demon fox. That rogue chuunin had been through a rough time, losing both parents that evening.

But what Leaf shinobi hadn't lost someone they loved?

Kakashi cast his mind back to the events of that dreadful night. He, Rin, Kurenai, Asuma and Gai had been obliged to shelter from the monster as it unleashed its deadly chakra on an unwitting and unprepared village. None of the teenage shinobi had wanted to comply with the order, they were all ready and willing to fight. But Kurenai's father had insisted that they remain protected. He had been right in his judgement. Too many shinobi died that night. The village needed their generation of experienced ninja to stay safe and ensure the survival of Konoha itself.

It was like the sky was on fire. Not a gentle glow of a warm and awe-inspiring sunset, but hideous shades of crimson and scarlet, raging with hatred and fury, as the massive tails of the demon swirled and whipped across the village, decimating everything they came into contact with. It was as though the whole of Konoha was ablaze, and nothing could escape the power of the mighty chakra that was composed entirely of venom and wrath.

And the noise was unbearable. So loud and formidable and utterly relentless. Anyone who was there at the time remembers most the screams amidst the howling and roaring of the beast as it unleashed its violent vengeance upon the village.

The silence. That was the worst. When Minato had finally managed to seal the creature away, at the expense of his own life, the whole of Konoha fell quiet. A hushed stillness overwhelmed the village as the community tried to take in the enormity of the events that evening. People were too shocked even to cry.

Kakashi's thoughts returned to the Umino couple. Maybe it wasn't so surprising that their kid had turned rogue. It must have been difficult for anyone to lose a relative that night, let alone both parents. Shinobi life was tough and it was violent. Many, many ninja had suffered serious emotional problems from the pain and suffering they had witnessed during their lifetimes.

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><p>Kakashi was ready to leave for his mission and walked through the village clad in his ANBU gear towards the gates of Konoha. The village was bustling and busy. He passed a group of pre-genin on their way to the Academy. Two little girls, one pink-haired, one blonde, skipping together hand in hand, carrying bunches of flowers for their teachers. The boys were fighting and bickering. One blond kid, dressed in orange, was leaping about with all the energy of a firecracker, trying to get a rise out of anyone who would pay him any attention at all. Everyone shunned him. Following them was a dark haired boy, who wore the Uchiha crest on the back of his shirt. He had a serious expression and was doing his level best to ignore all the other children in his class. Bringing up the rear were a chubby boy and a slouching slacker kid, neither of whom looked as though their hearts were really in it. As Kakashi walked past them, all the children turned to stare at him, eyes wide and mouths dropping open as they witnessed the sight of a real Konoha ANBU passing by. Kakashi raised an eyebrow and grinned underneath his masks. He had already completed several missions by the time he was their age.<p>

As Kakashi progressed along the main street he noticed out of the corner of his eye that he was being pursued, with no degree of subtlety, by someone very green indeed.

"Ah, my rival! I wanted to see you before you left!"

Kakashi exhaled slowly and walked on. He was supposed to be anonymous.

The Green Beast caught up with his friend. Kakashi ignored him.

Good old dependable Gai. The most enthusiastic ninja in the village, optimist extraordinaire and all round good guy. Kakashi liked Gai very much but couldn't help himself – his friend was just so easy to wind up.

"My rivaaaaaal!"

The ANBU walked on. He only bothered to turn around casually when Gai caught up with him and tapped him on the shoulder. "Ah. Did you say something?"

Gai looked frustrated. "Oh, so cool. Always so cool. How do you do it?"

Kakashi grinned underneath his mask but adopted a stern tone of voice.

"I am ANBU, Gai. You are supposed to refer to me using my codename."

"Ah yes, my friend. But everyone in the village knows it's you. You're becoming quite the celebrity."

Kakashi rolled his eyes but Gai didn't see his disdain, hidden as it was behind the porcelain mask. He remained cool. "Did you want something Gai? I am just about to leave for a mission to Iwagakure."

Kakashi could feel his rival radiating enthusiasm and zeal right at him. "I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed sparring with you last week. I am determined to win next time though. Are you interested in partaking of another challenge soon?"

"I don't think so, Gai."

"But I was just learning how to take you on when we battled with your sharingan activated. I've worked it all out. I'm convinced my superior taijutsu can beat you next time!"

Kakashi sighed. He was unlikely to be able to talk his way out of a rematch. If nothing else, Gai was persistent. He sighed, trying not to convey any sense of enthusiasm at all. "Maybe when I get back? I have a long journey."

"A-ha! See if you can beat my record. It's a three day journey but I have completed it in two days, 17 hours and 16 minutes. Do you think you can possibly beat me?"

"You can be sure I'll give it a go," replied Kakashi, having no intention of doing such a thing.

"Well," the Green Beast slapped Kakashi on the back, "I wish you well, my friend. Be safe. And I await our next challenge with eager anticipation."

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><p>His target was apparently located in a village outside Iwagakure, which was three days' run away. He might as well view the journey as a training exercise, a good opportunity to push himself and test his stamina. Kakashi passed through the gates of Konoha then leapt into the forest canopy. As he flew through the treetops he had plenty of time to contemplate the events of the previous few days.<p>

Rin.

How could she have died? How could she have left him? They had become very close over the years and he had really loved her. Not as a lover or a girlfriend, but as a sister, a best friend and confidant. They had grown up together, child soldiers in a hideous and vicious war. They had lost their team mate, their friend, who had willingly given up his life for them.

He'd heard her that time. Just after Obito had died and Kakashi had told her that their fallen comrade had been in love with her. He was so direct when he was younger - too direct – and shockingly unaware of how to talk about feelings or emotions. She'd taken the opportunity to try to express her love for Kakashi but they didn't get to discuss it before the team had had to complete the mission. He already knew how she felt about him, had known for a long time. But he didn't acknowledge her. He _couldn't_. She didn't raise the subject again.

But their friendship flourished. After they lost Minato to the Nine Tails, Rin became the person Kakashi trusted most, the only person he would allow himself to be close to. Of course, they were both good friends with all the jounin of their generation and trusted them absolutely as comrades, but Rin was the only person to whom Kakashi could express his innermost thoughts and deepest feelings. And she accepted that.

He truly cared for Rin, but he could never love her as she had wanted him to love her. He had tried. Tried to be attracted to her. Tried to imagine himself marrying her and maybe even having kids with her. He trusted her, he loved her company, she was the closest person to him. And yet… And yet there was something inside him that couldn't let him love her that way.

And now she was gone. Why hadn't he been allowed to join her on that mission? They were a great team. He would have protected her. How could such a talented kunoichi have fallen prey to what appeared to be – by all accounts – a vicious bunch of bandits?

Kakashi was flying as he leapt across the treetops through the forest. His muscles were aching and yet he pushed himself harder; he was building up a significant sweat and feeling that at least he was getting a good workout. He would make it to the village where the rogue was hiding out almost a day early.

Shame he hadn't taken up Gai's challenge – he'd have smashed the Green Beast's record.

He pushed himself harder. To go faster. Faster. That would extinguish some of the pain that was buried inside his heart, pain that desperate to break out and tear his soul apart. Pain that he needed to keep concealed within him.

As he passed through into the Land of Earth and on to Iwagakure the landscape began to change. It almost helped that the terrain was becoming more challenging –treacherous mountain paths, deadly precipices, slippery waterfalls – these all made the journey more interesting and demanding. Yeah, he'd beat Gai's record with ease.

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><p>Kakashi arrived at the village where the rogue was supposed to be hiding out much earlier, as expected. He needed to locate the chuunin and dispatch him. But it wasn't going to be that easy. If Umino Iruka had really defected it was likely that he was now under the protection of the local shinobi, just ready to spill Konoha's secrets to them, if he hadn't done so already.<p>

Before entering the village Kakashi had removed his porcelain dog mask and put some civilian clothes over his skin-tight ANBU uniform, just a loose fitting hooded shirt and a scarf round his neck, which concealed his face. No one would mess with an ANBU on his journey, but he needed to look as inconspicuous as possible while checking out the locale.

It was a small village, not much more than a suburb of Iwagakure but nevertheless was of a similar construction to all Earth towns – tall buildings hewn from the naturally hilly environment. This village was not as grand as Iwa itself but it clearly had distinct zones populated by different classes of people. The affluent areas were located towards the top of the mountains, the homes of the aristocracy with their conical roofs reaching for the sky, their dwellings linked to their neighbours by a criss-cross of bridges that kept the genteel citizens away from the riff-raff below.

The lower class areas were to be found at ground level. A completely different society of scumbags and sleazeballs populated that particular district.

Kakashi headed to the lower class neighbourhood. Iwagakure shinobi were a rough bunch, very dedicated and always military minded. Fight first, ask questions later was their philosophy. Ground level was very different to Konoha. It was darker for one thing, the dominance of the upper class dwellings blocking out much of the light to the denizens below. The town itself was sleazy. It didn't have the bustling atmosphere of Konoha and the civilian residents seemed subdued, almost withdrawn. Kakashi strolled along the main street, taking in the layout of the village as well as trying to identify the most likely place to locate his target. It wasn't too difficult to establish where the local ninja would be found. Kakashi entered the bar that he felt looked like it harboured the most undesirable bunch of characters.

The bar stank of stale beer and cigarettes. It was dimly lit and the floor felt sticky underneath Kakashi's sandals; it squelched as he walked into the main drinking area. It clearly hadn't been cleaned in ages and Kakashi hoped that whatever liquid had spilled had been of an alcoholic nature rather than, well, he really didn't want to contemplate what else it might be. The place was shabby, the furniture worn and frayed. It looked like the local gangs met up there to drink and fight.

Kakashi walked to the dingy room and surveyed his surroundings quickly. He ordered a soft drink and then sat at the bar on a stool, hunched over his juice, with his back to the other punters. The rear wall of the bar itself was mirrored, with various bottles of grog mounted in front of it, which allowed Kakashi to study the assembled denizens by observing at their reflections. It was an effective way to gauge who was in that bar, and how much of a threat they might pose, without raising suspicion.

There was a group of young men sitting in the corner, obviously shinobi. They were a bit of a rowdy bunch, and it appeared as though they had been there all afternoon, slowly getting sozzled. Kakashi observed them for a few moments. They were potentially the most dangerous people in there and the ANBU needed to make an assessment of how he might take them on and escape if they took an irrational dislike to a stranger and things got rough. And then he noticed. Sitting among them was a young man looking distinctly out of place. Almost nervous. He was clearly pretending to join in with their banter, but although he was smiling with his mouth, his eyes looked solemn, almost sad. Kakashi observed the man for a while. He looked uncomfortable and was constantly looking around him, anxious and troubled.

He turned his head and, as he did so, what sunlight had managed to filter through the filthy window of the bar shone a ray of light across his face. Kakashi recognised it immediately. That nose. With a horizontal scar running right across the young man's face. There was no doubt about it. That was his target.

A few moments later, the young man got up and took his leave of the people he'd been sitting with, waving to them as he walked out of the bar into the alleyway. Kakashi decided to pursue. After he'd left the building he discarded his civvies to reveal his slimline ANBU outfit. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his dog mask and put it on. He drew a kunai knife and silently stalked the chuunin as he walked down a quiet alley.

The target eventually sensed that he was being followed so slowed his pace and started to turn around, but the ANBU was already upon him, kunai at his throat.

"You are Umino Iruka?"

The chuunin nodded, his eyes flashing with defiance as he stared directly into the face of his assassin. He immediately recognised his assailant as Konoha ANBU. He knew what was to come.

Kakashi spoke in a soft, firm voice. There was no menace and not a trace of malice but he was very clear about his intentions. He remained as impassive and professional as possible. "You have defected from Konoha and have been designated a rogue ninja. You are a traitor. I have orders to kill you."


	2. The Dread of Something After Death

Hello. Before I start, a huge thank you to everyone who reviewed/faved/alerted the first chapter of this story - it was very much appreciated. Here's another chapter, usual disclaimers apply...

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><p>Chapter 2 - The Dread of Something After Death<p>

Defiant. The chuunin was defiant. He glared at his assassin, his expression courageous. He was absolutely ready for whatever was to come. Yes, he was even prepared for death.

Kakashi observed the young man. For all his bravura the chuunin looked sincere. For the first time in his life, the ANBU questioned what he had been asked to do.

"Do you have any last words?" Kakashi's tone was neutral, bordering on cold. It was the first time he had ever asked that question on an assassination mission and wondered why he had even bothered to speak to his target. He was professional. Complete the job and get back home, that was the rule.

But the rogue was assertive. He _was_ going to speak. His wide brown eyes looked directly at his assassin and he spoke with a resolute tone.

"I know this won't do anything to change your mind, but I will die with a clear conscience. I had to abandon the mission to save my comrades."

_Had to abandon the mission to save my comrades._

Those words hung in the air like acrid smoke from a smouldering fire that had not quite been extinguished, swirling around Kakashi's head for what seemed like an interminable length of time. He almost choked on them. They filtered into his heart and permeated his soul.

The ANBU hesitated. He had to make a judgement and make it quick. He knew that this rogue's new associates would probably be leaving the bar soon and taking on a bunch of drunken Iwagakure shinobi could be very dangerous. But there was something about the chuunin and the words he spoke that made Kakashi want to give him a chance. His voice was low and dangerous as he stated very clearly.

"You have exactly 30 seconds to explain to me why I shouldn't kill you."

The chuunin glanced down the alley in the direction of the bar before responding, "And you have exactly three seconds to get the hell out of here before that sensory ninja over there starts draining your cha..."

Shit. Too late.

It all happened so quickly. Kakashi looked back and spotted Iruka's group of shinobi emerging from the bar. He saw them point at him, recognising that something untoward was happening, and then started running towards the Konoha pair.

They were a motley bunch, six in total, and all wearing standard issue uniforms with distinctive Iwa hitae-ate. The shinobi were all thin and scrawny and none more senior than chuunin rank, except for one. Leading the pack was a bulky ninja, clearly the leader of the gang. He was tall, taller than Kakashi, bald and bare-chested, broad and thick set, the muscles in his arms rippling as he advanced quickly towards the pair. Kakashi realised that this was the one he would have to take on first, so started to observe him carefully to gauge exactly how he could challenge this shinobi. The very first thing he noticed was that this guy had very unusual eyes. They were completely black. No irises, no pupils, no sclera. They didn't reflect light, they absorbed everything they looked upon.

The bulky ninja ran towards the Konoha ANBU, raising one of his arms as he did so. It was as thick as Kakashi's thigh. He continued his advance towards the Konoha pair. He pointed his fingers at Kakashi and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply and concentrating hard. The shinobi behind him were muttering and sniggering. They had clearly seen this line of attack before and realised that the Konoha ANBU was pretty much doomed. The enemy ninja opened his eyes. No longer were they black, they sparkled like flashing diamonds reflected in a million mirrors.

Suddenly Kakashi's whole body felt like lead, as though his energy was literally being sucked out of him. His limbs were heavy and sluggish and his head hurt, as though it was being crushed in a vice. It was like he had just contracted the worst case of flu he'd ever had.

Time to leave. He opened the sharingan. It was black and the tomoe were completely deactivated. He couldn't see a thing with that eye. What the hell was happening to him? Umino had been right. It felt as though his chakra was being drawn from him and there wasn't a damned thing he could do about it.

Both Leaf shinobi looked at the advancing crowd. Their attackers' expressions were becoming increasingly sinister. The pack dispersed slightly to get into a battle formation. They were all extremely casual and laid back about it by now. They had all the time in the world to attack this shinobi who was being drained of his chakra. No ninjutsu to challenge them? They could take their time. Prolong the pain. How dare a Leaf ninja walk into their town to carry out Konoha business on their turf?

Kakashi looked behind him briefly. The alley had a dead end. Usually he would have been able to teleport away or scale the walls of the buildings to make an escape. But the tall structures built in typical Iwagakure style either side of the passage would make climbing without the assistance of chakra extremely difficult, especially if they were being pursued. They were screwed.

He stared at Iruka. The chuunin met his gaze with his expressive eyes. Kakashi was a good judge of character and he honestly thought that this guy seemed genuine. Maybe the Third had been correct in his initial assessment of the young man; Kakashi had noticed how saddened Sarutobi had been at the turn of events as stated in the mission report.

Kakashi pulled his ANBU mask off and threw it to the floor. Right now he was on the verge of being attacked, his sharingan wasn't functioning at all which meant that he was partially blind. The mask represented nothing but a hazard to him. He needed as much peripheral vision as he could get.

A million thoughts began whirring through his mind. Evaluating how to get out of this mess, how he was possibly going to survive.

Kakashi had to make a call. "Can I trust you?"

Iruka shrugged. "Doesn't look like you have much choice."

It was true. Kakashi was in serious danger. He could have escaped on his own but something inside him wanted to find out more about this Umino character. He liked his spirit. For some reason Kakashi felt that he wanted to find out whether he could be vindicated. Would he prove to be trustworthy? Who could say, he was officially a rogue. But the ANBU's instincts were usually sound and right now he represented their best hope of getting out of this filthy town alive.

He glanced across at the advancing enemy. They were a motley bunch and under normal circumstances he would have been able to take all of them on without difficulty. With serious chakra depletion, however, he was pretty much standing prey to them.

He had to try to gauge the level of their aggression towards the 'newest' member of their gang. Did they trust Umino enough to let him go or would they attack him as well? He glanced across at the chuunin briefly. He had a pained expression. Kakashi then looked back at the Iwa shinobi. Yes, the large ninja was now focussing on the chuunin, sparkling eyes sucking up his energy. Shit. They didn't trust him at all, Iruka's chakra was being drained as well.

The enemies' pace picked up. Two of the skinny chuunin, who looked like a pair of weasels with beady eyes and pointed faces, emerged from behind the bulky ninja, each pulling out a kunai knife which they aimed at the Konoha shinobi.

Shoom! Shoom!

One was aimed directly at Kakashi, the other at Umino, but it was clear that the chuunin's stamina was already dwindling, he was looking slightly dazed and wasn't going to be able to get out of the way in time. Kakashi's adrenaline kicked in, it was going to be the only thing that had a hope of saving them.

With an almighty effort Kakashi turned and pushed Iruka out of the way, raising his arm as he did so to catch the kunai that had been aimed at him. But he wasn't quick enough to catch both. The knife intended for Iruka hit him directly in the back, close to the shoulder blade, piercing his flesh. It hurt like hell. He chucked the knife he had just caught to the ground then reached around and pulled other from his back. The wound stung like a hundred wasp stings, sharp and intense and incredibly painful.

This was getting serious. They had to get out of there. "Are you okay, Umino?"

"Yes. Thanks." The chuunin looked a little dazed. He hadn't expected his assassin to save him. Why would he do that?

"Do you know a way to get us both out of here?"

Iruka looked down, looked up and grinned. "I can get us out of here right now, ANBU san."

Kakashi scowled. He'd just taken a kunai in the back for this traitor. "Get on with it then."

"Never underestimate the potential of a manhole cover."

If his shoulder wasn't hurting like hell and his body feeling as though it had been drained of strength, Kakashi would have been impressed. He didn't know that the chuunin had become a serious prankster in the years after his parents had been killed. He had craved love and attention and just wasn't able to find it anywhere. It seemed to him that the best way to make people notice him was to annoy them intensely. It worked. But it had also resulted in him having developed a more unconventional approach to battle tactics. The first rule was always to find an escape route. For instance, he knew the Konoha sewer system better than any of the technicians who maintained it. Often the most useful getaway method after he'd successfully completed a particularly irritating prank. A touch smelly perhaps, but effective nevertheless.

Pulling together all the physical energy he had left, Kakashi lifted the lid with an enormous effort, and beckoned for Iruka to leap inside. The chuunin hesitated momentarily to consider his best course of action – to stay or to go – decided quickly, then jumped. Or rather plummeted, with far less grace than he had hoped to demonstrate. Kakashi scooped up his ANBU mask from the floor then, using all the energy he could muster, picked up the manhole cover and hurled it at the bulky ninja's head before jumping inside the sewer, pushing his target to move on. The pair fled through the filthy drain system, following the direction of the water flow, aiming to get out of that town as soon as they could. Eventually they reached the end of the tunnel where the water flowed into a local river.

* * *

><p>They ran. As fast as they were able. They had to break away from their pursuers. Kakashi's shoulder hurt like hell, but he had no choice other than to push himself onwards, to use whatever physical energy his body had managed to retain. He didn't have enough chakra to perform any sort of jutsu. Iruka wasn't as fast as the ANBU and didn't have as much stamina but he showed determination and grit and was utterly resolved to keep up with Kakashi's pace.<p>

But where to go? Kakashi had to think on the run. They couldn't return to Konoha. He had just disobeyed a direct order and failed to kill a rogue ninja. That meant that he was now effectively rogue himself.

He cast his mind back to his boyhood days when Team Minato had penetrated deep into Iwagakuare territory during the Third Great Shinobi War.

And then it struck him. He knew of the perfect place to hide out, a place where they could be safe for the time being.

Where they could figure things out.

It would be a couple of hours' journey before they reached the Northern coast of Earth Country. The terrain was very different to Konoha, no shady forests to hide in; instead the land was undulating, often steep, often treacherous and always exposed to the elements. The blistering sun beat down upon them but they carried on relentlessly.

An hour or so into their escape Kakashi was beginning to feel really ill. He forged on though, assuming that it was the effect of the chakra drain. They _had_ to get away. But he was starting to sweat profusely and was feeling nauseous.

Both he and Iruka had constantly been checking behind them to see if they were being pursued. But it seemed as though those shinobi had been drinking far too much earlier in the day to bother. Who'd want to leap into a stinking sewer if they didn't have to?

Eventually Kakashi decided that they could afford to slow the pace. He was feeling horrible and needed to rest. He opened the sharingan eye. He could see nothing but blackness. Still not enough chakra. He was functioning on adrenaline and willpower alone it seemed. He was exhausted.

Another hour later as the pair approached their destination the weather became cloudier and air somehow seemed fresher and cooler. The starkness of Earth's desolate landscape gradually gave way to a more lush environment with vegetation and small trees dotting the landscape. It was clear that they were close to the sea. Iruka had followed Kakashi but had had no idea where they were going or why he was even joining this assassin.

Eventually Kakashi stopped. He stood upright to fill his lungs with the fresher air. A cool breeze rolled in from the ocean. The scent of the sea surrounded them: brine and salt and seaweed. They had reached the northern coast. Kakashi led Iruka to the very edge of a cliff and they both looked down. A sea mist prevented them from viewing the beach below.

"Yes, this is the place," declared the ANBU, nodding in confirmation to himself that he had remembered the route well. He turned to face Iruka. "So. You've followed me here and now I'm going to ask you to – quite literally – take a leap of faith."

"You're expecting me to jump off that cliff?"

"Yeah."

"Is this your idea of a joke? Can't quite face killing me yourself, so you're going to arrange it to look like an accident?" Iruka could feel his temper rising, forgetting temporarily that the ANBU had saved his life just a couple of hours ago.

Kakashi rolled his eyes but remained calm. Seemed as though this rogue was pretty highly strung. "If I was going to kill you, I'd have done it by now and got the hell back to Konoha. For some reason that I can't yet fathom out myself, I have a feeling that you deserve a second chance. That's putting me in the shit because I've now failed to complete my mission so we're probably both fucked."

Iruka looked fierce. He considered himself to be utterly loyal to Konoha and had done what he had done for a reason. He had been willing to take the consequences for his actions. So he didn't really take very kindly to this ANBU's patronising tone, even if he had decided not to assassinate him. For now.

Kakashi continued. His countenance was ashen, whiter than his normally pale complexion, and his breathing was becoming slightly ragged as he fought to get oxygen into his heaving lungs. "I know this area from my fighting days during the war. There is a perfect place to hide out at the foot of this cliff. There we can figure out what to do. That's if I don't die first from whatever poison that Iwa ninja had coated his kunai with."

"You've been poisoned?"

"Do you think I'm always this slow?"

Iruka didn't know what to think. He'd been pushing himself really hard just to keep up with the elite shinobi. He'd known that the chakra drain would make the going particularly tough for them both because they were relying solely on any physical energy they had managed to retain, but hadn't realised that the ANBU was suffering from an additional ailment. Kami, this guy was _really _good.

Kakashi pulled down his mask and threw up on the ground, his exhausted body heaving and retching, as it tried to expel whatever was making him sick. He felt slightly better as he wiped his mouth and replaced his mask. Iruka contemplated the drop below. He couldn't actually see the bottom of the cliff. Or indeed anything except a couple of metres of the cliff edge. The whole area was shrouded in a sea mist.

"Trust me. If you jump you will land on a ledge just a few metres below. From there you will find a pathway down the cliff side which leads to the beach. There's a cave we can shelter in for a few days."

The chuunin hesitated. Kakashi shrugged and jumped. Iruka watched him disappear into the swirling mist below. The chuunin paused for a second. Hell, who wants to live forever? He took a run and hurled himself off the cliff. Adrenaline kicked in again and it seemed as though – just for a split second – he was suspended in mid-air before gravity took hold and pulled him inexorably downwards. As the ANBU had predicted there was indeed a ledge below, but Iruka hadn't realised that it was actually quite narrow. He tried to land gracefully but ended up far too close to the edge. He could feel his feet start to slip and he started flailing his arm as he tried to maintain his balance. Shit. Maybe this really was it. He could feel himself beginning to fall as the loose rocks on the edge of the ledge began to crumble beneath his feet, small shards of stone coming away from the periphery. The mist was still dense so he couldn't see how far he was likely to tumble but...

...a strong gloved hand grabbed his wrist and pulled him in quickly, right towards the wall of the cliff. He leaned against the rock for a few moments to compose himself and catch his breath, then followed as Kakashi beckoned him towards a path. The route down to the beach was relatively easy after the initial jump, although the path wasn't terribly well maintained, but it took them just a few minutes to descend. By the time they reached the bottom the swirling mist was clearing slightly and Iruka had a chance to survey the area.

It was a beautiful beach, surrounded by cliffs as far as the eye could see and totally secluded. It was a combination of rocky and sandy, with the sound of the waves lapping at the shingle at the edge of the shore. A peaceful place.

They walked along the beach in silence for a few more minutes until Iruka heard the sound of rushing water.

"We're almost here," said Kakashi as they passed by a gushing waterfall which flowed into a natural pool at the foot of the cliff. Iruka dipped his hand into the pool – the water was clear and cool and fresh, perfect for a bathe.

Just beyond the waterfall was a cave in the cliff face. Its entrance was quite small and partially concealed by green, leafy foliage clinging to the overhanging rock. Kakashi pulled back the fronds and beckoned Iruka to enter. The cave opened out into a broad cavern. Towards the back of the cave were some wide rock ledges, ideal for sleeping on, and the floor was composed entirely of soft sand.

It was dry and hidden and would shield them from the elements. Just what they needed.

Iruka started to walk towards the back of the cave when he heard a crash behind him. He turned to find the ANBU unconscious on the sandy floor, lying flat on his face. Iruka rushed over to him and turned him over. He checked that he was breathing, then laid him into the recovery position and rushed outside to the waterfall. He cupped his hands and let the cool water flow into them, then rushed back into the cave to splash water on the ANBU's masked face.

Kakashi woke with a start, pulled down his mask and vomited immediately. Iruka rushed out to get him more water. He found the ANBU coughing and trying to breathe deeply, to regain his composure and stay conscious.

"Have you got a med-kit?" Iruka asked.

Kakashi nodded. He reached behind his back to open his waist pouch and drew forth a small box. It was old and faded and very, very precious to him. It had saved his life on more than one occasion. It was the gift Rin had given him to celebrate his promotion to jounin status.

With a great effort, Kakashi sat up, his body slumping forward as he did so, and opened the box. He pulled forth some small squares of paper, smiling gently at the memory – they had come up with the name together: Rin's Practically Perfect Patented Poison Predictor Paper. He pulled off a leaf and handed it to Iruka.

"Press this paper against the wound for 10 seconds."

Iruka pulled Kakashi's skintight ANBU vest up and over his silver hair to reveal the injury on his back. It was red and sore and looked very nasty indeed. The chuunin did as Kakashi asked, pressing the paper gently against the wound. He winced as he felt the pressure on his tender flesh.

The ANBU then reached around to his pouch and pulled out a small book.

"Porn?" Iruka snorted, wondering what the hell this eccentric character was going to do next.

Kakashi chuckled weakly underneath his mask. "No, I just need the bookmark inside. Tell me, what colour has the paper turned to?"

"Green."

Kakashi consulted his bookmark. Green. Okay, not so bad. This poison was derived from snake venom but it had an antidote and was curable. It was also likely to be slow acting, although two hours of running would have significantly increased its chance of moving through his system to do more damage.

"Umino, I need you to do me a favour."

"Okay."

"Please clean up the wound and dress it with the gauzes in the med kit. Then I need you to find some plants for me and follow the instructions on this bookmark. I believe the plants I need are quite common so you shouldn't have much difficulty finding them. You do know how to recognise different plant species, don't you?"

Iruka frowned. This ANBU character was definitely patronising. "Of course I do. I did pay attention in class sometimes."

"It's important. Some plant species can be quite similar. If you pick the wrong one it will exacerbate the effects of the poison."

"I know, ANBU san. You can trust me."

Iruka left the cave and found a large seashell on the beach. He then walked to the sea and filled the shell with seawater. Salt was a good antiseptic. He then returned to the cave and cleaned up Kakashi's wounds, first with the salt water, which made the ANBU hiss at the pain, then he cleansed the wound again using water from the waterfall pool close to the cavern. Kakashi then stood up and, leaning on Iruka for support, shuffled to the back of the cave and lay down on one of the rocky ledges there. Iruka made sure he was as comfortable as he could be. Kakashi looked up at the chuunin and nodded his gratitude with a solemn expression through his half-lidded grey eye.

Iruka then went outside, walked back along the beach and climbed up the cliff face in order to search for some common plants in the surrounding area. He was tired, really tired, but he felt he needed to do this to help the ANBU. The path provided an easy climb until the six metre drop from the top of the cliff. Normally Iruka would have been able to walk up the vertical rock to the top using his chakra control, but he had no such reserves to help him. However, examining the rock face, he noticed that climbing huecos had been carved from the stone and that ascending to the top was actually perfectly possible. As he reached the cliff edge he peered over the ridge to see if there was anyone about. The area was deserted, very quiet, with only the cry of seagulls to break the silence. With a great effort, the chuunin hauled himself up and began to look for the medicinal plants Kakashi required – golden currant, plantain and dock. He was lucky. The ANBU was lucky. Iruka found everything he needed and more, so returned to the cliff top and descended to the cave once again.

He found a couple of large, flat stones and placed the plantain and dock leaves on one. Then he fetched more freshwater in his shell container and added a few drops of water. He ground the plants together using the other stone as a pestle until he had made a smooth paste. Then he crushed some of the currant berries and mixed them into the paste. He wanted Kakashi to eat the remaining currants.

He walked over to where Kakashi lay sleeping. He rolled the ANBU over and exposed the wound again. It looked red, raw and angry. Kakashi stirred and looked round. He had a thin sheen of sweat covering his face and his hair was damp with perspiration. Iruka spread the plant mixture onto a poultice and placed it on the lesion, using another gauze from Rin's med-kit to dress the injury once more.

He went back to the beach and scoured for any objects he might find useful. Lying on the high tide mark were a number of items that had been washed ashore: driftwood, shells, rope, a couple of tin cans and a natural sponge. Iruka went back to the waterfall, filled the shell with clear, fresh water then soaked the sponge and returned to the cave. He placed the soft sponge on Kakashi's forehead as a cold, damp compress. The ANBU groaned slightly as he felt the coolness of the water touch his burning skin, then returned to a feverish sleep.

Iruka stood back. He'd done as much as he could for this Leaf assassin. He now had to make a decision – should he stay and look after this shinobi from his hometown or leave and try to reconcile with the Iwa ninja?


	3. Enterprises of Great Pith and Moment

Firstly, thanks so much to everyone who is following this story, I'm thrilled at the number of faves/alerts that it has received. And extra special thanks to everyone who has reviewed it. It makes my day to hear from you and I really appreciate you taking the time to hit that button and let me know what you think.

Here a new chappie. Usual disclaimers apply.

* * *

><p>Chapter 3 Enterprises of Great Pith and Moment<p>

Kakashi awoke and opened his eyes. He felt light-headed and slightly disoriented. The cave was dark. He had no concept of how long he had been sleeping but he figured that it must be some time in the middle of the night. All was completely black around him. He closed his grey eye and opened the sharingan to see if his chakra had returned and would allow it to activate. Not a chance. Everything was still pitch black. He hated not being able to see in the dark.

He'd been dreaming that there was a classical orchestra playing somewhere close by. The rumble of the taiko drums, the clash of the dobatsu, the rattle of the naruko, with stringed instruments screeching out a whirling tune of frenzied glissandos, rising and falling in pitch. The music was exciting and wild, verging on the hysterical - like nothing he had ever heard before.

He peered towards the entrance of the cave. It seemed to be dark outside but Kakashi had no way of telling the time. He closed his eyes again but his head felt dizzy, whirling round and round, blood pounding in his ears, like the worst hangover he'd ever had.

He laid back down for a few moments to let himself wake up more fully. When he opened his eyes again he could see a greenish blue light at the entrance of the cave. It was tiny but shone brightly. And it seemed to be moving towards him.

Kakashi squinted with his grey eye as he tried to make out what the bright object that was approaching him actually was. Then he saw it.

Not it. Her. It was Rin.

She was walking towards him with her hands cupped. The light was that of her chakra, swirling and tumbling through her fingers, as though she was ready to use her mystical palm technique to heal him. The glow of the chakra illuminated her face and body as she walked towards him, her movements were so languid that she appeared to be floating. He watched her as she approached him with a happy expression on her face, hair swaying slightly as she walked, her lovely gentle smile just beaming at him. With a great deal of effort, he held out his arms to greet her.

As she reached the place where he lay, she let the chakra slip through her fingers and tumble to the ground, like droplets of water from a fountain. Her chakra then settled at the foot of the rocks where he lay, in a swirling pool of green and blue, lighting the area surrounding them with a soft, dim glow. Then she laid herself down on the ledge beside him and he wrapped his arms around her. He was so happy to see her. He felt calm and peaceful and content. They held each other for the longest time.

He wanted to question her, ask her how she had managed to find him, how could the rumours of her death been so untrue. He wanted to tell her how sad he had been, how much he had been missing her, how angry he felt when he had heard what had happened to her. How pleased and relieved he was that she was with him now. But he didn't. He just held her tightly.

Eventually she sat up slightly. She smiled at him, slightly coquettishly, and patted his hair. She had always marvelled at how surprisingly soft those silvery spikes felt to the touch.

"Love your crazy silver hair."

He reached his hand around to the back of her head and affectionately ruffled the chocolate strands of hair.

"Love your sensible brown hair."

Silly terms of endearments were part of their friendship. They both grinned at each other, Kakashi's eyes arching into a smile. He felt so calm now she was with him.

"Why are you here? How did you find me?"

Rin's expression changed. The features of her face looked serious, verging on anxious, as she addressed him.

"Kakashi," her voice had an air of urgency to it. "Kakashi, you can help me."

He didn't know why but deep down, somewhere in his subconscious, he understood what she meant. The ANBU nodded, his grey eye indicating to her how determined he was to help her in any way he could.

She leaned in towards him and cupped his unmasked face in her hands. She was cool, almost cold, and Kakashi shivered at her touch. Then she kissed his forehead, a gentle, chaste kiss from soft, cool lips.

She sat back on her knees and gazed at him again. He smiled at her. But her expression started changing to that of sadness. She looked weary. And then troubled. And then pained. Her head started to slump slightly, her eyelids drooping as she did so.

Suddenly she threw her head back and opened her eyes. They looked directly at Kakashi, a piercing gaze that seemed to penetrate right through him. He thought he caught a glint of light reflected in her retina but it became clear that it was her eyes themselves that were generating the glow. They started sparkling, like diamonds glittering in the light of a thousand stars, crackling with energy and shining with a luminosity so bright that it hurt Kakashi's eyes.

Kakashi sat up immediately and grasped her arms. He wanted to pull her towards him, hold her, hug her, protect her and never let her go. And then she started shaking, twitching and jerking uncontrollably, as though in a seizure.

And finally her body started warping. Twisting and writhing in Kakashi's arms, he could feel her slipping away from him. Blood began to run in crimson teardrops from her sparkling eyes. Her face began to warp and melt, as though it was made from wax, dripping and melting in the heat of a burning flame. She cried out, in pain. The pain turned to distress. The distress to agony. And then she started wilting, slowly disappearing, vanishing before him. He tried to hold her. Keep her with him. Close. Closer. But the tighter he held her, the faster she slipped away. Faded to nothing before his very eyes.

Until there was merely a phantom memory of her presence in that cave.

Kakashi suddenly felt incredibly hot, then unbelievably cold. He started sweating and shivering, convulsing slightly.

The orchestra started playing again, the accelerando of the relentless throbbing taiko and the arpeggios of the shrieking strings building up to an almighty crescendo.

Mezzo forte.

Appassionate.

Forte.

Brio. Presto. Agitato.

Tacet.

Kakashi awoke with a start, opened his eyes and looked up. The cave was dark but it looked as though dawn was approaching. The light at the entrance to the cavern looked strange, a yellowy-grey colour, providing the dimmest of illumination. Iruka was sitting beside him, gently brushing his forehead with the cool damp sponge.

Kakashi sat up and stared balefully at the rogue, hoping desperately that he hadn't been crying out in his sleep.

"You've been asleep for two nights and a day. There's a storm outside. You can hear the wind howling and the waves crashing on the shore. You have a fever. I think you were having a nightmare." The chuunin's voice was calm and reassuring.

Kakashi needed a little time to compose himself. He took a deep breath and let himself wake up fully, observing Iruka with a steely grey eye.

"Who's Rin?"

Kakashi didn't want to answer. He didn't trust this guy enough to give him any personal information about himself.

"Why do you want to know?"

"You were calling the name while you were sleeping," replied the chuunin.

Kakashi sighed. "Just a friend." He paused. "A friend who died," he said in a solemn tone with an air of finality that made it very clear that he didn't want this stranger to ask any more questions.

Iruka nodded. He was a kind person. He didn't really know what to say but felt he should say something. People should always say _something_, shouldn't they?

"I'm sorry."

Kakashi nodded in acknowledgement but with a solemn expression on his face that wasn't going to give any emotion away.

Iruka hesitated for a moment. Then his curiosity got the better of him. "You also muttered something about my sensible brown hair, which I didn't understand."

Kakashi smiled wistfully and slowly shook his head. "It was nothing to do with you. I was just dreaming."

Kakashi sighed, then rolled over onto his back, wincing as the poisoned wound made contact with the rocky surface he was lying on. He shifted back onto his side immediately. Iruka dipped the sponge in the water again, squeezed it and placed it on Kakashi's forehead, wiping the sweat away from his brow. The coolness of the water on his clammy skin felt really good to the ANBU.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I had my chakra drained and took a poison knife in the back," he said in a monotone without a trace of irony. "How about you?"

"Same," replied Iruka, grinning weakly. "Without the poison," he added.

"Do you know how long it takes for the chakra to return?"

"It can take a few days to get up to full strength. I suspect it's going to take you a lot longer."

It made sense. Kakashi nodded, his expression grim. "And you know this because?"

"I've been through it before. It's a horrible sensation, it's like your entire existence is being drained away. They don't take all your chakra – that would kill you – but they leave just enough for you to feel utterly helpless. You will have some physical energy, as you already know from our escape yesterday but, although your chakra _will_ return, it will be a few days before you can perform any jutsu."

They observed each other in silence for a few moments.

Kakashi suddenly realised that he didn't have his mask on. He felt vulnerable without it. No one had seen him without his mask in many years, not even his sensei or his closest friends, let alone a complete stranger. He might have to kill the chuunin after all.

"Where's my mask?" he demanded.

"I took it with some of your other clothes and washed them. They were in a bit of a state, covered with blood, sweat and vomit. They're drying at the front of the cave. I'll fetch them, if you want me to."

Kakashi shook his head. He hated being without his mask but frankly felt too ill to worry about it. He knew he had a temperature and that he wasn't over the worst of the poisoning yet. He tentatively laid himself back down on the rocky ledge and closed his eyes. He felt terrible. If he opened his eyes, the cavern was spinning round and around. The poison was making him feel dizzy and nauseous. Horrible.

It wasn't long before the fever overtook him again and he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>By mid-morning, the storm had subsided and it was beginning to look like the weather would be fine for the rest of the day. Breezy and bracing perhaps, but the worst of the storm was over.<p>

Iruka was beginning to feel slightly better after the chakra drain. He had experienced it before and knew that he'd get over it. He'd had to spend the previous day sleeping and resting after their ordeal but that meant he was able to keep an eye on the ANBU's health. It would be a while yet before Iruka would be able to do anything useful like perform jutsu but for the time being his physical energy was returning to him slowly.

He had thought long and hard about whether he should stay at the beach and look after the ANBU or go back to the Iwa village and try to reconcile with the shinobi gang. He had unfinished business there.

He looked at the Leaf shinobi sleeping beside him. The ANBU was clearly very ill. His exhausted body was desperately trying to fight off the poison and he had no chakra to assist with the healing process.

They hadn't even introduced themselves to each other but in the cold light of the day Iruka had guessed from his distinctive silver hair and scarred eyelid that this had to be Hatake Kakashi, Konoha's genius shinobi with a fearsome reputation and a sole sharingan. Everyone in the village knew about him. So he was Black Ops? That didn't surprise the chuunin in the slightest.

What puzzled Iruka was that while his assassin was clearly very suspicious of the chuunin's actions he had somehow decided to give him a chance. He couldn't for the life of him fathom out why. Kakashi was known for being a stickler for the rules. If he had been ordered to kill Iruka he would have done. Wouldn't he?

He watched the ANBU as he slept, his body feverish as the poison continued to invade his body, making him sick. Kakashi's pale, thin frame was shivering but he had an extremely high temperature and he was sweating profusely, although he seemed to be fighting it.

Iruka decided to stay. It would be a while before the ANBU's chakra would be up to minimal level, let alone anything near full strength and he was extremely weakened from the poison. He doubted that even a genius would survive for long on his own in that condition. He sat beside the stranger and continued to sponge his forehead. His touch was tentative - gentle and considerate. It felt odd, helping someone who had been assigned to kill him but he felt that the assassin had saved his life –whether he had meant to or not - so the least he could do was to try to return the favour. The irony of the situation wasn't lost on him.

Iruka suddenly realised that he was hungry. Scratch that, he was famished. The ANBU probably needed some form of sustenance too. The best thing for him to do would be to find some food from somewhere. But what resources did he have? Foraging seemed to be the best option. He decided to explore the vicinity to see if he could find enough to sustain them for the next few days while Kakashi recovered.

Firstly he climbed up to the cliff top to see whether he could find any edible plants. He'd been lucky with the medicinal plants, maybe, just maybe he'd find some good food to eat. Like all Konoha shinobi he was an expert in survival techniques and knew very well how to forage for food.

As he wandered along the cliff top and then travelled a short distance inland his thoughts turned to his situation. The worst had happened. He'd been designated a rogue and a traitor and the only consequence from that eventuality was that his days were numbered. Even if this ANBU failed to kill him, others would come after him. He had to try to resolve matters just as soon as he could. He had a responsibility to the shinobi he thought to be Kakashi but otherwise he _had _to go back to the Iwa shinobi. He'd worked so hard at gaining their trust. He was naturally good with people, he was certain that he could reconcile with them.

As he wandered through the local area he noticed that there were a reasonable number of edible plants in the vicinity. Sure, they weren't going to rival anything that Ichiraku's cooked up but there would be enough to sustain him and the ANBU. Dandelions. Not the most exciting of plants but nutritious enough and plentiful. He excavated their roots and extracted the whole plant from the ground – roots, leaves, flowers – all were entirely edible. And then he came upon a clump of sorrel, a delicate herb, and utterly delicious. Burdock was the next plant he encountered. The leaf stalks were fine to eat, but the root was delicious, especially marinated in a sesame dressing. Okay. Sesame gobo dressing was completely out of the question, but the burdock was nutritious enough. He checked carefully to ensure that he hadn't confused it with belladonna. If he screwed up there, he'd finish off his assassin without any difficulty at all. Finally he chanced up on some wild garlic. Best of all. The flavour was subtly aromatic and would make all the bland roots and leaves so much more tasty. They'd have a feast tonight. Or something approximating that. He also picked more dock and golden currants, just in case he needed to produce another poultice for Kakashi.

Iruka returned to the beach bearing the vegetables and herbs. He located an area of the cave that was cool and dry – which would act perfectly as a larder. As he brushed away some remnants of grit and dust that had fallen onto the smooth rocky surface, he couldn't help but notice some characters scratched into the back wall of his makeshift food store, probably with a kunai. It said: 'Obito's stash – DO NOT TOUCH!' and had a Leaf motif scratched out underneath it. Iruka smiled. He had no idea who Obito was but this place had clearly served as a refuge for Konoha shinobi in the past. Iruka continued clearing the area then placed the food he had collected in that place for the time being.

He checked in briefly on the sleeping Kakashi and noted that there wasn't much change in his condition - he was still unconscious and feverish. The chuunin then walked slowly along the length of the beach to forage, taking his time, observing what foods might be available.

He headed directly to the rock pools first. There he found a number of different types of seaweed. They were so nutritious. He picked some of the more tender species – the stuff that was edible without having to boil it for hours. He also gathered some carrageen, which he intended to lay out in the sun to dry. They'd be able to boil it up and make jelly from it in a few days' time.

The rock pools also yielded more food, this time protein in the form of molluscs: mussels and common periwinkles just ripe for the picking. Iruka just pulled them from the rocks. He also noticed that the brine had evaporated from some of the shallower pools, the ones that had only had a few millilitres of water in from when the tide had retreated.

Located in each dried out mini rock pool, was a ring of salt.

Iruka gathered up the salt, scraping the glittering white crystals into the palm of his hand. He had an idea and he might, just might, be lucky.

The chuunin then walked to a sandy part of the beach, close to the sea. It was low tide so he walked towards the water's edge and he examined the area before him. Yes, there were little holes in the sand. He knew what they were. He also knew that if he could get hold of any of them, they were absolutely guaranteed to be both nutritious and, more importantly, delicious.

Razor clams.

He carefully approached one of the indentations in the sand and sprinkled some of the salt he had collected.

And waited.

The clam had to be fooled into thinking that the tide was coming in. Razor clams were incredibly elusive.

Actually, catching them was easy for a shinobi. The salt would entice them into popping up to check out the incoming tide and then all the forager had to do would be to grab them before they realised they'd been hoodwinked.

Easy for a shinobi with their lightning reflexes, honed over many years of training. Unless, or course, they had had their chakra drained a couple of days ago. But… Iruka was quick enough to catch six of them. With the plants and other shellfish he would be able to prepare a feast.

Shame he didn't have any noodles.

Iruka located the two tin cans he'd previously found on the shoreline and washed them out in the waterfall. They weren't rusted at all and would serve as excellent cooking vessels that he and Kakashi could also eat from. The next thing to do was to create a fire. Iruka's chakra nature was earth and he had no ability to create fire, with or without a chakra drain, so the old fashioned method was going to have to do.

Iruka collected some large stones and placed them in a circle outside the entrance to the cave. He piled up the driftwood he'd collected then found some dried moss and lichen on the cliff face which would act as tinder and some small sticks for kindling. He located some more sticks and a large block of driftwood which would act as a fireboard. The rope he'd found was perfect to wrap around a stick to form the bow. Then it was just a process of creating enough friction to get an ember glowing in the wood and drop the tinder in.

Once the fire was lit, Iruka began the process of preparing the meal. The water from the waterfall by the cave was good to drink, sweet and fresh. Iruka set about chopping up the root vegetables with his kunai and then boiled them in the tin cans. He then added the sorrel and garlic which provided lovely aromatic flavours and then finally added the clams and shellfish, letting them cook for just a couple of minutes so that they wouldn't overcook and turn rubbery. Finally he garnished the meal with a dandelion flower.

"Wake up, ANBU san," Iruka gently nudged the sleeping shinobi's shoulder. He stirred and opened his grey eye, observing the smiling chuunin looking down upon him. He still felt groggy.

"My name's Kakashi," he replied slowly.

"I know."

So he had guessed correctly. The chuunin responded, "My name is Iruka."

"I know."

"I have food for you. Shellfish and burdock in a sorrel and garlic soup."

Kakashi grinned. "I didn't realise I was about to assassinate a gourmet."

They ate in silence, sipping at the soup from the hot cans. Their bodies needed all the nutrition they could get to give them strength.

Iruka then insisted that Kakashi eat the remaining golden currants as he believed that they would continue to help counteract the effects of the poison.

When they had finished their meal, the ANBU looked much better. His pallor had changed from deathly sallow to an almost healthy pale. He sat back and nodded his appreciation to the rogue.

"That was good," he said quietly, but in a noncommittal tone.

The chuunin nodded, a small smile upon his face.

"I need to check your wound again," he stated matter-of-factly. Kakashi nodded his consent and lifted his shirt over his head, turning his back as he did so, so that Iruka could get a closer look.

Iruka examined the wound. It was looking slightly better, but was still red and clearly very sore. He gently prodded the flesh around it. Kakashi winced slightly but was determined that he wouldn't show any sign of quite how agonisingly painful it was.

"Does it hurt?"

"Yeah, but it feels better than it did."

"I'm going to change the poultice, I think that will help."

"Thanks."

They made no further attempts at conversation while Iruka tended to Kakashi. The ANBU was impressed at how gentle and caring the chuunin was and how carefully he dealt with the wound.

When Iruka had finished, Kakashi replaced his shirt, put on his mask and turned around to face the chuunin. He looked at Iruka, a serious expression on his face, as he nodded to acknowledge his gratitude. Iruka smiled at him – he had been genuinely glad to help the ANBU.

They observed each other for a few moments longer. It was an awkward silence, made more uncomfortable by the fact that Kakashi had been supposed to kill the young man who sat before him. Each shinobi was entirely unsure what to say. Eventually Iruka decided to break the silence and spoke up. He had a number of questions that desperately needed answering.

"Are you okay to talk with me?"

Kakashi nodded.

"I need to ask why you came after me. Why the authorities in Konoha ordered you to kill me."

"I read the mission report from your team mates. They indicated that you had defected and joined the Iwa shinobi. The statement was quite unequivocal. And you know as well as I do what the penalty is for defection."

Iruka frowned. A dark shadow seemed to pass across his face and he looked as though he was struggling to contain his emotions. Kakashi noted that his expression looked, well, disappointed, upset, even hurt.

"So, why didn't you kill me?"

Kakashi exhaled slowly. "I don't know. Why don't you tell me?"


	4. No Traveller Returns, Puzzles the Will

Hello. Big thanks for the reviews/faves/alerts. I had intended to get this out much sooner but life got in the way. Silly hours at work followed by daily visits to hospital for the last 3 weeks. It's almost exactly a year since my annus horribilis began but it seems there's still some way to go before things can really start moving forward. Writing this is providing a much needed distraction. Here's another chapter. It turned out to be a long one. Usual disclaimers apply.

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><p>Chapter 4 – No Traveller Returns, Puzzles the Will<p>

"Okay team, we need to take a breather here."

Three shinobi gathered around the cell leader under a tall tree which offered them shade from the searing heat that was beating down from the midday sun. They had been running continuously for five hours and were making good time. They each stood upright to catch their breath briefly, hands resting on their hips, then they squatted together in a circle as they discussed their strategy.

"We will soon be leaving Fire Country, heading through Kusa and approaching the Land of Earth. When we get there, the terrain will be very different and it is possible that we may encounter bandits or rogue shinobi. We're heading north west to rendezvous with the client in about a day's time."

Iruka looked up at each member of the team who were all paying close attention.

"For this next stage I want Mizuki to lead, acting as scout. I will follow two hundred metres behind, carrying the scroll, then I want Fuyou and Akan another couple of hundred metres behind me."

Iruka grinned as he addressed his friend directly. "I need all your observational skills on this one, M. This mission would be a doddle if it didn't take us right into the heart of Earth Country and I am concerned that we might run into some objectionable characters."

Mizuki smiled back and nodded in acknowledgement. Even though they were childhood friends this was actually the first time they had been on a mission together, having trained under different jounin masters and had therefore been part of different chuunin cells. Iruka was delighted to be working with his pal and was desperately proud that he was leading this mission – his first in command. He was very grateful to know that his friend was proud of his achievement and for the support that Mizuki had promised to give him.

"Remember, Earth is barren countryside. We will be far more exposed than Fire's shady forests and Kusa's grassy meadows and bamboo woods. We will need to be on our guard constantly."

He patted Mizuki's shoulder. "And you know exactly the direction to follow?"

Mizuki reciprocated by punching Iruka's arm – a habit that Iruka knew to be a friendly gesture, something that had become a bit of a custom between them over the years. "Sure I do. What do you think I am? Useless and hopeless?"

"Of course not," Iruka replied hastily. Then he realised that his friend was joking and smiled at him. "Now I want to reach the Shaku mountain range before nightfall. I suggest that we set up camp for the night just before we get there and then pass through the valleys first thing in the morning, so that hopefully we won't attract the attention of any bandits. Mizuki, please find a suitable place to camp for the night before we reach the range proper and we'll catch up with you."

The team nodded their agreement.

And with that, they started off again.

About an hour into the journey, Iruka was beginning to feel slightly uneasy. He knew that they should be travelling in a north-west direction in order to meet the client but, glancing up at the sun which was more-or-less directly behind them, felt that they were probably heading slightly off course. He decided to sprint to catch up with Mizuki.

His chuunin friend had been keeping a reasonable speed but was quite startled when Iruka caught up with him and tapped him on the shoulder. It vaguely surprised Iruka - he would have thought Mizuki would have realised that he was being pursued. Not to worry. First time out, they were making good time. The lead pair slowed their pace and found a rocky crag to rest beside. When the rear squad came into view Iruka signalled for them to hold back for a while.

Iruka wanted to take a moment to check that Mizuki was okay and to ask him about the direction that the team had been taking. He didn't want to challenge his friend for making a mistake in front of the others. That could potentially embarrass Mizuki, which would be both unprofessional and unfair.

"Are you okay, M?" Iruka asked, his eyes bright and with an expression of genuine concern on his face.

Mizuki looked annoyed. "Of course. Why did you break the formation?"

"I was worried that we were headed slightly off-course and just wanted to check with you that you were happy with the direction we were taking. If we go off course in the Shaku range we could very easily get lost and it could be really dangerous."

Iruka was handling the situation in a diplomatic and tactful manner. He didn't criticise, he just wanted to check that all was well and give Mizuki the opportunity to correct his mistake without any retribution.

But Mizuki bristled visibly and his eyes narrowed. "Of course."

Iruka, keen to avoid conflict, replied, "It's probably my fault. You know, I'm not sure that I had made it clear that we wanted to be heading north-west. I just wanted to confirm that with you."

Iruka was almost certain that he _had_ made it very clear which direction they should have been taking, but didn't want to upset his friend.

Mizuki smiled at his friend. "Not to worry. You've set me right. Okay then, you're the boss, whatever you say."

Iruka grinned and patted him on the shoulder. "Thanks, pal."

And so Mizuki set off again. Iruka signalled back to Fuyou and Akan that they should continue their pursuit and the team headed off once more.

They continued for a few more hours until the light was beginning to fade. Iruka was convinced that they were making really good time and Mizuki's pace had been especially quick.

They were about to approach the Shaku range, a particularly onerous part of Iwa territory. The landscape was mountainous, with tall peaks and deep valleys, which had narrow winding passages through them, carved over the centuries by ice and water and not a few destructive shinobi battles.

It was a long range stretching several miles and it marked the official border of Earth territory. It was quicker to travel through than around, but it was known to Konoha shinobi to be dangerous and all ninja knew that they had to be cautious on their approach. Iruka had wanted to stop and make camp before they arrived here. The terrain was treacherous and the locale teeming with bandits and rogues, who all knew the area well.

Although they were technically foothills, the change in the landscape was quite dramatic, the topography giving way to a large plateau with steep craggy rock faces and narrow gorges carved through them at sporadic intervals. These paths formed the easiest route through the mountain range and into the Land of Earth, but they were also the most dangerous. Iruka had expected Mizuki to find a secluded place close to the edge of the mountains where they could rest for the night. They would then leave before dawn to pass through the tortuous winding valleys, with the aim of avoiding any undesirable characters who might be lurking within. He was fairly sure that they were probably still somewhat off-course, but once they had passed through this range they could easily get back on track.

So Iruka was quite surprised when he spotted the cliffs of the foothills ahead and no sign of Mizuki. Early evening was absolutely the worst time to be traversing that route. He signalled for Fuyou and Akan to stop. He looked up and down along the length of the range but there was no sign of his friend.

What should he do? He couldn't see his comrade anywhere at all. It appeared as though Mizuki had simply vanished. Rocky crags loomed above him, tall and imposing, and straight ahead was a natural path formed from a gorge that cut through the rock and ran into the heart of the mountains.

Iruka decided that instead of venturing into the narrow path of the valley perhaps it would be preferable to scale the cliff face and look into the gorge from the top. It would mean less likelihood of an ambush from below.

He climbed the sheer cliff face like an insect, his body flush against the rock, using his chakra to keep his hands and feet attached to the surface as he scaled the rock face. Iruka's chakra control was excellent and, although he could have walked up there, he decided that climbing would offer him a stealthier approach that was less likely to attract attention. He made it to the top of the plateau with ease. He crawled along the stony surface, close to the edge of a gorge that penetrated deep into the foothills, keeping a low profile so as not to attract attention.

The sun was beginning to set, casting shadows across the rocky terrain. The evening had a golden glow to it and dusk was fast approaching. Iruka carefully tavelled along the edge of the gorge for about half a kilometre, desperately trying to spot Mizuki in the valley below. He could smell the smoke from a campfire nearby and heard the faint sound of voices. He noticed that a just a few hundred metres further down the range, the gorge split into two separate pathways and the path that was nearest to him opened out into a wide cavernous space with a large overhang above it. The chuunin crawled in the direction of the sound and smoke and peered over the ledge into the valley floor below.

"Ha, ha, ha! Are Konoha shinobi always this dumb?" The words echoed around the gap in the gorge. A raucous bunch of ninja sat around a fire at the foot of the cliff, drinking copious quantities of an undetermined firewater, laughing and joking together.

"What an idiot. Walks straight into an ambush like a fucking amateur. You'd have thought they'd teach Konoha ninja to at least have some fucking idea about caution when travelling through our land."

Iruka's heart sank. It sounded as though Mizuki had been captured. He edged further towards the precipice and stared at the bottom of the gorge, letting his eyes adjust to the impending darkness. There he spotted his friend, slumped at the foot of the cliff, the light from the dancing flames of the fire flickering in his silver hair.

Iruka observed Mizuki carefully. He'd just casually wandered into an ambush? His body was sagging with his head drooping forward and it appeared as though he was barely conscious. The chuunin couldn't make out whether he had been tied up. He didn't appear to have been, and this puzzled Iruka. Why capture a shinobi and not bother to tether him? Any ninja worth a damn would do their utmost to escape at the first opportunity.

A few moments later, Iruka heard echoes from the gorge in the direction he had come from. It sounded like laughter. He decided to wait so that he could establish what was happening. It was getting chilly and he shivered slightly; he was feeling increasingly uneasy about his situation but particularly that of his comrades. Eventually three ninja ambled into view. One was a huge bloke, bald and bronzed, followed by two skinny subordinates, each carrying an unconscious man over their shoulder. Iruka craned his neck and peered into the valley below desperately trying to observe who these unfortunates were.

Shit.

His heart sank and he felt a hollow feeling forming in the pit of his stomach. He exhaled slowly. The worst had happened. Now Fuyou and Akan had been captured.

This was going so badly wrong. Iruka peered down to the valley floor to see if he could gauge what had happened to them. It appeared as though they too were unconscious, their faces were swollen, as though they'd received a beating.

The Iwa shinobi huddled round the campfire. "Okay. Konoha shinobi generally travel in cells of three or four. If it's three, then we've got the lot, otherwise there may be just one more Leaf idiot to capture."

The bulky ninja spoke up. "Have you searched these ones? Are they carrying anything interesting?"

The underlings patted all three ninja down, then meticulously searched through their backpacks. Nothing of use at all.

"Nah. Nothing here. If they're on a mission they're not the ones we need to capture. I reckon there's one more. We need to find him as soon as…"

Iruka shuddered as he heard these words. His mind was reeling at the thought that his cellmates had been captured and yet he had a mission that he needed to complete. Was obliged to complete.

He had to make a decision. Figure out the best course of action. He could leave his comrades behind and push on to the Iwa rendezvous alone or he could try to rescue the team. Both choices had their risks. Venturing through Earth Country on his own could be very dangerous and yet unless his comrades were able to help him battle the enemy – and that looked highly unlikely judging by the state of them in their present condition - Iruka would probably have to take on all six Iwa shinobi if he wanted to try to save the team.

He decided to hold back for the moment and observe the Iwa ninja. Maybe they would drink themselves into a stupor and he could try to rescue his colleagues while the enemy were sleeping. He lay low at the top of the overhang, watching the group and tried to mask his chakra signature.

He waited until darkness had fallen. The yellow flames of the fire were beginning to die out, transforming into warm, glowing red embers. Some of the Iwa shinobi were lying down, trying to get some rest, but others had decided to continue drinking whatever grog remained, and got the fire started up again. It appeared to Iruka as though this was their job – keep an eye out for foreign ninja and capture them.

Suddenly he heard a noise behind him. Crap. There were more members of the gang, they were already at the top of the plateau, close by, and actively searching him out.

He froze, instantly masked his chakra and waited to assess how many of the enemy there were and where they were located.

His best course of action now would be to surprise them. He silently crawled away from the cliff face and hid behind a rock on the plateau, keeping his chakra veiled and waited until the Iwa shinobi came into range. He was particularly proficient at acoustic location and was able to pinpoint how far the shinobi was from him quite accurately, even in the dark. He recognised that there were two shinobi seeking him out. And they were approaching his location.

One Iwa ninja came into range. He passed by the rock and Iruka pounced. He seized his enemy from behind, then reached beneath the enemy's underarm with his thumb and pinched a particularly sensitive nerve with his forefinger. The shinobi slumped to the ground, unconscious. Iruka let him drop gently to the floor, as quietly as possible, and then moved towards the other ninja who was fast approaching.

Iruka crouched and waited silently as the enemy approached. He had masked his chakra so well that the new assailant walked right past him, which gave the Leaf chuunin the chance to leap up and grab him with the intention of rendering him unconscious as well. However, this ninja wasn't giving up without a fight and immediately shoved his elbows into Iruka's ribs, winding him. The Iwa ninja spun around and kicked at Iruka's head but the chuunin ducked. Realising the enemy was off-balance, Iruka caught his leg quick as a flash, lifted it – taking the Iwa's body with it – up in the air and let it crash to the ground. The ninja didn't have time to react to break his fall. His head hit the hard stone and he too was out cold.

Iruka winced. The crashing sound was likely to have alerted the other ninja down in the gorge below. The chuunin hid behind the rock once more, hoping that the others were too drunk to bother with investigating any noises from above. Fat chance. Iruka heard muffled shouts.

"Oi! Kemono! Did you hear that? We need to check it out"

Iruka lay flat on his stomach and crawled to the edge of the overhang to peer into the gorge. He listened intently to the activity below.

"Doton: Earth Elevator!"

Shit.

Iruka felt the ground rumble as though an earthquake had struck. He could see a mound of earth rising from the bottom of the campsite to the very place where he was hiding. Striding atop this earth elevator was the large bald ninja. Two more earth stacks, each bearing a skinny subordinate, were also rising rapidly from the depths below. Iruka edged away from the cliff edge and back to his hiding place behind the large rock as quickly as he could, before the masses of earth rose to his level and revealed his location. It was pretty dark, he might just have a hope of hiding from them. No point in running, they'd hear him and pursue. His heart was pounding. He held his breath.

A loud booming voice broke the silence. "Come out, come out, last little Leaf. I can sense your presence."

Iruka cursed to himself. He was convinced that he had suppressed his chakra to almost nothing. He remained completely still, hoping that the bald ninja was bluffing. No point in just giving himself up.

"Ha ha ha! Nice try, but you happen to have come across your worst nightmare."

The mound of earth had grown sufficiently to reach the top of the cliff and the brute they called Kemono stepped off onto the rocky surface of the plateau's pinnacle. His colleagues were not far behind, striding atop their rising earth elevators. Iruka's mind was racing. He assessed the situation quickly. He could probably out-run the big guy. His best hope would be to take out the two skinny shinobi and then to make his escape.

Shoom! Shoom!

Iruka aimed two shuriken at each of the ninja currently ascending the mounds of earth that were rising rapidly from the valley floor. One hit one of the shinobi square on the collarbone. He lost his balance, fell from the stack of earth he was riding upon and went tumbling to the bottom of the gorge. Unfortunately the other dodged and Iruka's throwing star missed its target. The earth ninja reciprocated immediately with a couple of shuriken of his own.

It was now dark, with the only light coming from the pale half-moon cloaked with clouds and the flames of the fire in the bottom of the gorge. Iruka realised that he simply couldn't see well enough to dodge any weapons that were being aimed at him. His best bet was to build a defence wall. His chakra was earth natured and, although he was not very experienced, he had learned basic techniques which he had been practicing diligently.

Tiger. Hare. Boar. Dog. Doton: Earth Wall!

It wasn't going to be the greatest earth wall in the world but it would definitely protect him from any light weapons being hurled in his direction. Which it did.

Za! The earth barrier he had formed him shattered immediately, brushed aside by the shinobi astride the earth stacks. Most Iwa ninja had earth chakra affinities and were experts in the use of such techniques. Iruka knew that he would struggle to battle with them, let alone have much chance of defeating them. With the wall gone, Iruka was now exposed to the enemy. But, curiously, they didn't chase him.

The clouds parted and the light of the moon shone through, providing the dimmest of illumination amidst the shadows. He peered into the darkness to observe both ninja and figure out a line of defence. There were two Iwa shinobi heading straight for him. They seemed to be able to sense where he was hiding.

As the ninja came into view, Iruka realised that he couldn't actually see the eyes of the one they called Kemono. For about one second. As that fact sank in, the bulky shinobi's eyes started sparkling, flashing, as he raised his arm in Iruka's direction. The sight was hypnotic and it took all Iruka's strength to look away.

He turned and started to run. He had no other choice. He set off at a rapid pace, but with each step his body became heavier and less responsive. It felt like he was wading through glue. He couldn't get away. He could hardly breathe. It felt as though all his energy was being drained from him.

Which it was.

Eventually he stumbled and then crashed to the ground, exhausted. He'd done his damndest and taken out a few of the enemy but he had no chance against this sensory ninja. The pair approached him, muttering to each other.

"This one's a live wire. Haven't had such a fight in a while. He took out Okojo, Kudagitsune and Nezu-kun."

The bulky ninja laughed, a deep, sinister chuckle. "Yeah. Tie this one up. I'll knock him out."

Iruka felt a sharp blow to the temple and remembered nothing more.

* * *

><p>When he awoke he found was in a small room. It was dank, dimly lit and smelled musty. His vision was blurry as he looked around him but his eyes slowly focussed and he saw the rest of his team, who were all staring at him, a look of relief upon their faces as their leader came to.<p>

Iruka blinked a couple of times as his eyes adjusted to the light. "How long have I been out?" he asked groggily.

Mizuki turned to look at him. "A few hours. They brought us to this town in Iwa territory."

"What the hell happened?" he asked, looking specifically to Mizuki for answers.

The chuunin shrugged. "We met with some bad company." He nodded towards the far side of the room, where a couple of the Iwa shinobi were slouched on seats, observing the Konoha four. One of them, sporting a bandage wrapped around his head, scowled at Iruka. He was clearly one of the ninja the Leaf leader had managed to take out before he was captured.

Iruka shifted slightly. He was still tied up and was aching all over. He felt drained. Completely and utterly drained. There was a single part of his body that didn't hurt. He'd taken a blow to the head and felt slightly nauseous.

"I feel awful," he stated to no one in particular.

"That's because your chakra has been drained," explained Mizuki. "They told us what had happened when they brought us here. That big shinobi, the one they call Kemono, is a sensory ninja who can suck up your chakra with his eyes."

Iruka sighed. That explained a lot. He'd put up his best fight but he recognised immediately that he didn't stand a chance against that sort of power. If only Mizuki had headed in the right direction, they'd have crossed the Shaku range further along the plateau and would never have run into this bunch. Still, no time for 'if onlys', no time for retribution. They were where they were. He had to work out how the hell he could get them all out of this situation.

And then he remembered.

The scroll.

Shit, he realised that he was no longer in possession of the scroll. The Iwa ninja had obviously found it and taken it from him. The whole purpose of the mission: to rendezvous with the client and pass on the information. Iruka's heart sank. He was going to fail miserably on his first time out as a leader. He glanced across at his comrades. They all looked exhausted and had clearly been beaten up by the Iwa thugs. Fuyou and Akan, in particular, were in a terrible state.

One of the Iwa ninja got up and left the room. He returned shortly and brought along the rest of his gang, including Kemono, who was carrying something in his hand. Nestled within the firm grip of his short, stubby fingers lay the Konoha scroll.

Iruka looked up at the bulky ninja. It was his first opportunity to observe his enemy at close quarters. He was huge and thoroughly intimidating, bare chested and bronzed, with rippling muscles, he towered above the Konoha four. The very first thing Iruka noticed about him was that the shinobi's eyes were completely black. They seemed to absorb all light. It was really quite disconcerting.

Kemono ignored the other Leaf ninja and addressed Iruka directly, acknowledging him as the leader of the group.

"Can you tell me what this is?"

"I could," replied Iruka, defiantly. "But if I did, I'd have to kill you."

Kemono observed the chuunin, his black eyes narrowing. He drew himself up to his full height and clenched his fists, crumpling the scroll slightly, his knuckles turning white as he did so. He towered over Iruka.

He took one good look at the chuunin then threw his head back and roared with laughter, his booming chuckle echoing around the room.

"Well at least you've got a sense of humour," he snorted, shaking his head in slight disbelief that anyone in Iruka's position could be so bold. His expression then became more serious.

"You realise the situation you are in, don't you? We don't take kindly to Konoha shinobi carrying out their business on our turf. I think you realise that we can keep you here with your chakra constantly drained for as long as we like."

Iruka nodded.

Kemono continued. "So it really would be in your best interests to tell us about this scroll, yeah?"

Iruka sighed. He was going to have to bluff this one. "Come on, I really can't tell you. Give me some credit."

Kemono shook his head and signalled to the other ninja in the room. Three of them each grabbed a Leaf shinobi and started beating them up. Fuyou and Akan groaned, their legs gave way and they collapsed into a heap on the floor. The Iwa shinobi continued their assault by kicking them. Mizuki stood his ground for a while and took a few sharp punches to the belly before he too fell to the floor, whining and groaning with the pain.

The Iwa ninja then picked the three Konoha shinobi up and roughly shoved them against the wall.

Iruka winced. He hated witnessing what was happening to his comrades. He had to think quickly. His mind thought through all the possible options that were available to him. He was tired and disoriented but he forced himself to clear his head and think logically. First of all, he surmised that he would be more likely to be able to escape if he didn't have to worry about rescuing his comrades. Was there any chance that the Iwa ninja would let them go?

Kemono spoke again, his voice loud and clear. "So, are you going to tell me about that scroll?"

Iruka shrugged. "I really can't help you there, mate."

Immediately, the Iwa ninja starting punching and kicking Mizuki, Ayan and Fuyou again. Their bodies were already worn out from the chakra drain and the beatings they had already received and they were clearly in a lot of pain. Iruka didn't know how long they would hold out for.

"Stop!" Iruka cried out. The Iwa ninja looked at Kemono briefly. He didn't give the signal, so they continued their assault on the Konoha trio.

"I SAID STOP!" Iruka shouted. He stood up and faced Kemono, his eyes blazing with what he hoped looked like fury and not fear.

The skinny ninja paused, waiting for instructions from their leader, and Kemono stared at the Leaf ninja with his empty black eyes. It was as though he was looking right through him. It was impossible for Iruka to gauge what he was thinking – there was not a hint of emotion nor a trace of feeling. Kemono nodded to his comrades briefly and the assault ended. The Konoha shinobi slumped to the floor.

Iruka took a deep breath. He leaned against the wall trying to appear casual. He had to think and think quickly. Yes - the very first thing he needed to do was to get the others out of there. Then he could worry about retrieving the scroll without worrying about them. The best way that he could figure out how to do this would be to bullshit his enemy. He had to use his finest acting skills.

He lifted his head slowly and stared at Kemono, looking directly into those deep, obsidian eyes. He spoke very precisely and clearly.

"Okay. I've thought things through and I'll cut a deal. Let these three go and I'll join you. I'll tell you everything I know about the scroll and how you can use it. I am certain that you can benefit from its secrets."

Kemono raised an eyebrow, looking somewhat cynical. His voice clearly didn't believe a word that Iruka had said. "Right. So suddenly you _do_ know all about it?"

Iruka _had_ to be convincing. He sighed before he continued, giving the impression of being world-weary and knowing that he had been defeated. "Yes," he spoke softly, but clearly. "I am the team leader. The information was entrusted only to me. They don't know anything. Let them go and I'll work with you."

Kemono looked bemused. "And the reason I should trust you is?"

Iruka shrugged. But he looked at the thug with confidence, as though he had figured it all out.

"You haven't got anything to lose. I have got everything to lose. You can keep me here forever, keep us here forever, our chakra permanently drained. I don't see what value my team-mates have to you, so why don't you just let them go? I can be useful to you. It's true I don't have much choice, but you have nothing to lose by letting me join you. And you can gain something of value if I tell you the scroll's specifics."

Kemono raised an eyebrow. He looked closely at Iruka's expression. The found the Konoha chuunin intriguing and was impressed that he had managed to fight, let alone defeat, some his Iwa comrades. Normally the Iwa enemies were overcome instantly, just collapsing before him, pretty much like Mizuki, Ayan and Fuyou had done - fallen prey to a powerful bloodline ability.

Iruka realised that Kemono found the proposal to be appealing. It was true, the Iwa ninja had everything to gain from this situation. The Konoha chuunin had another thought strike him – could he nail the clincher? He took a deep breath and cocked his head slightly, as though he was carefully considering his current situation and his future.

"You know from last night that my chakra affinity is earth, right? Not many people in Konoha have earth affinity. I've been learning, but I have a way to go and there aren't many people who can teach me in my home village. I know Iwa ninja are highly skilled at earth techniques and I reckon I can learn a lot from you."

Kemono was paying close attention. He observed the chuunin before him carefully, trying to assess his sincerity. Iruka had no idea how to gauge what the Iwa leader was thinking, his deep, hollow eyes gave absolutely nothing away. He recognised that the Leaf chuunin might be bluffing, but he was fully aware that he had the upper hand. He could easily kill the ninja simply by draining all his chakra if he turned out to be no good.

Iruka stood up and looked Kemono directly in those eyes that were blacker than the darkest night.

"Let these guys go and I'll give up my loyalty to Konoha. I'll join you, help you translate the scroll and we can all benefit from the rewards within."

"_And __if __it __doesn't __work __out, __you'll __probably __kill __me __anyway,__" _he muttered under his breath.

* * *

><p>"So, that's why I ended up with the Iwa shinobi," Iruka sighed. He was desperately disappointed, hurt even, that Mizuki - his friend - hadn't realised that he was bluffing in order to get his team-mates back home so that he could retrieve the scroll and return to his home village. He had been so proud that he'd managed to convince the Iwa shinobi to let the others go. His top priority had been to save his comrades, then salvage what he could of the failed mission.<p>

Kakashi moved towards the fire and dropped another piece of driftwood onto the dying embers. The flames sparked up again, casting flickering shadows that danced across the chuunin's scarred face. By the time Iruka had finished telling his story the evening was drawing near and there was a chill in the air. Kakashi looked directly at Iruka, a quizzical expression in his grey eye.

"And can you decipher the coding on that scroll?"

"Of course not! I was bullshitting them. Trying to play for time. I planned to retrieve the scroll and escape back to Konoha just as soon as I could. But I figured it would be easier if I didn't have to worry about getting the others out with me. They were in a terrible state. I needed to get them out and then steal the scroll back because I'm sure they could have found encryption experts to reveal its secrets. And then I would have been really screwed."

"As opposed to 'you've been declared a traitor and Black Ops have been dispatched to kill you' kind of screwed?" Kakashi observed. He scrutinised the young man's expression. It was very obvious to him just how loyal Iruka was to Konoha and to his friends.

"You did the right thing," he stated softly.

"I'm really in trouble now, aren't I?"

Kakashi changed the subject slightly. "Doesn't sound like your friend is much of a friend," he said, in a matter of fact tone.

Iruka bristled immediately. "I think it must just be some terrible misunderstanding. Mizuki knows me really well. He _knows_ that I am loyal to Konoha. The problem is that I just didn't get a chance to tell him that I was bluffing and that I was doing what I did so that the rest of the team could get away. I was counting on him not taking my actions at face value. Fuyou and Akan would also have written a report, but I wouldn't have expected them to understand."

"Well it sounds to me like they all fucked up pretty badly and were trying to cover their mistakes."

This irritated Iruka enormously. Kakashi didn't know anything about him, didn't know Mizuki, didn't know about their friendship. Who was he to make such a judgement? Iruka and Mizuki were good friends. The mission had gone wrong and somehow Mizuki hadn't cottoned on to Iruka's intentions. That _had_ to be the reason.

"I was the team leader, the responsibility was mine," he stated softly but firmly. "If you state the facts as required by a mission report, there is no denying that I appeared to have defected. But, please believe me, I had to make a call. I honestly thought I was doing the right thing, the best thing I could possibly do under the circumstances."

Kakashi shrugged. He'd been leading chuunin grade missions since before Iruka was even a student at the Academy.

Iruka turned to address Kakashi in a solemn tone, with a voice that was filled with resolve and determination.

"Kakashi, I have to go back to that village. I have to retrieve that scroll and clear my name."


	5. Must Give Us Pause –There's the Respect

Hello. First of all, thank you so much for the reviews/faves/alerts for this story, it really does make my day to hear from you. Well, looks like a new year has dawned. I can safely say that 2011 was the worst year I've ever had, but then again it could have been much worse, so there are lots of reasons to be positive. And so, having ditched 2011, here's to 2012. I hope it is happy, healthy and just plain fabulous for you all. Here's another chappie. Usual disclaimers apply. I need to warn you that horrid things happen in this one.

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><p>Chapter 5 - Must Give Us Pause – There's the Respect<p>

Kakashi had a troubled night's sleep. Despite his exhaustion, the poison, the fever and the chakra drain, his mind was buzzing, trying to take in everything that Iruka had told him. The chuunin's loyalty to Konoha was absolutely plain to the ANBU and he was convinced that he had done the right thing – however much trouble it was going to land him in - by disobeying the Hokage's order to assassinate him. Iruka could have handled the situation better, perhaps, but he had ended up having to deal with very difficult circumstances and had clearly done his best. For the team.

Kakashi's thoughts turned to his father. All those bad feelings he'd spent much of his life suppressing came flooding back to him. It was like a wound that would never quite heal, always there, a pain that might diminish slightly over time but could flare up at any moment and would never really mend. He had blamed his father for failing to complete his own final mission. Considered him disloyal to Konoha. Unprofessional. He had been ashamed of his dad for not doing the right thing. And Iruka's situation had put a whole new perspective on that sad story. Had his father gone through the same thought process as chuunin? Had he had to face a horrific dilemma? What _was _the right thing to do? He knew his father's team-mates had turned their backs on him and vilified him for what they considered to be a horrendous mistake. But were they actually covering their own backs? Did his beloved father enter such a deep depression that he felt life was not worth living because others had considered his actions so heinous or was it because his team had shunned him in order to protect themselves? Kakashi pondered upon how easy it could have been for the situation to go so badly wrong, how difficult the choices Sakumo might have had to make. He would never, ever forget the image of his father's cold, lifeless body, slumped on the bloodstained tatami in the Hatake mansion. It was burned into his memory and imprinted on his soul forever.

Then Kakashi reflected upon Obito. This was something that was customary for the ANBU. He thought about Obito every day and always made a point of paying his respects at the memorial stone whenever he was in Konoha. His friend, who he hadn't realised was a _true_ friend until it was too late. The friend who had inadvertently taught him the real meaning of teamwork. Through understanding Obito's actions on their final mission together, Kakashi had also learned not to hate his father. Obito was compulsive, intuitive and obstinate, everything that was anathema to Kakashi's principles at the time and contradicted all the shinobi training he had received. Obito and Minato had taught him that it was okay to bend the rules, it was better to do what was _right_. Rin had reinforced this concept in the missions they had later carried out together. If it hadn't been for Obito's sheer bloody-mindedness, Rin would probably have been killed during the war and would not have become the friend that Kakashi had considered to be his most precious in the world. He owed Obito such an enormous debt, a debt that he would never, ever be able to repay.

Finally Kakashi's thoughts turned to the ninja he had been assigned to kill. An inexperienced chuunin, out on his first mission as a leader, he too had faced a similar quandary to that which his father had had to deal with. Iruka had clearly done his best to protect his colleagues, to get them freed, and had done that in the full knowledge that it was potentially at the cost of his own life - whether he be killed by the Iwa ninja who would finally lose their patience with him when they realised he was deceiving them or at the hands of a Konoha assassin.

Iruka, however, slept well for the first time in many days. He had told the ANBU his story and Kakashi had accepted his version of events. Had told him that he had done the right thing, had done his best. The chuunin's sleep pattern had been dreadful since his capture. He had constantly been worrying about his comrades or desperately trying to work out how he could retrieve the scroll whilst continuing to maintain the deception that he could help the Iwa ninja decipher it. Then he'd had to face an elite Black Ops shinobi and managed to convince him not to execute him. And here he was, in a cave in the heart of enemy territory, caring for a ninja from his home village who had been assigned a mission to kill him.

But somehow Kakashi had given Iruka a chance to make things right.

_Kakashi had believed him. _

* * *

><p>When both ninja woke the next morning they could see from the light at the entrance to the cave that it was going to be a fine day, clear and sunny. Iruka was feeling more lively and even Kakashi was much improved and had regained some physical energy.<p>

The first thing the chuunin did was to inspect Kakashi's wound. The ANBU chided him gently for fussing over him but was secretly touched at his concern. He liked this chuunin. He had spirit and was an individual who took his responsibilities seriously.

"Well, it looks a lot better this morning. I think you must have managed to remove the kunai before it administered the full dose of poison. How are you feeling?" Iruka asked.

"I think I've broken the worst of the fever. The wound's going to sting for a while, then itch like hell, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to live now," Kakashi's looked up at the chuunin, his eye curving just very slightly, as though attempting a tentative smile, a small gesture of friendliness. "How about you? Has your chakra returned?"

"Physically I feel a lot better but I tried to perform a simple jutsu before you woke up and it wasn't really happening. I still have some time to go before I'm up to full strength. It'll be longer for you, I suppose."

Kakashi nodded. He had tried to use the sharingan a number of times during the night and it was still completely out of action. He was feeling drained and exhausted but, stubborn as ever, he was determined to start on the road to recovery.

"Right, I think we should go out and forage for more food," declared Iruka. "If you are up to it," he added quickly.

"You're pretty bossy, who put you in charge?" Kakashi retorted.

Iruka shrank back immediately, eyes open wide with concern and he held his hands up in a friendly gesture. "I - I'm sorry. I didn't intend to take over. It's absolutely fine – really - I'm happy to do whatever you say."

Kakashi's eye curved again. "I was only joking. You're right. Now _would_ be the best time to get more food. I have a feeling that it's going to be a little while before we can leave this place."

Iruka's face lit up and he grinned.

"Well, I guess I've got more energy than you, so I'll climb to the cliff-top to fetch more plants. I'll try and get enough to last us a few days. I agree that we'll probably be out of action for a while yet. The cave's nice and dry so we shouldn't have any storage problems. Will you scour the beach? We need more driftwood. You'll find the best sort at the far end of the beach. The tide carries it along to that headland over there. And if the sea has brought in anything useful, we could use some more containers for food or cooking. I suggest that you also get some more seaweed from the rock pools. It's really nutritious. I left some carrageen out to dry a couple of days ago so we could probably boil that up soon and make some jelly – it's really delicious. We don't have any sugar, so it wouldn't be sweet, but I have a few ideas to add flavour and reckon it would taste just fine, don't you think? I wouldn't gather any shellfish yet if I were you - we can search for those nearer the time we decide to eat so that they are really fresh. It would be terrible if we both got food poisoning because the shellfish had gone bad in the sun. Can you fish at all?"

Kakashi couldn't help chuckling to himself as Iruka gabbled out a list of instructions.

"Right, chief. Whatever you say."

Iruka blushed slightly, then realised that the ANBU was teasing him. He grinned and scampered towards the front of the cave in order search for more edible plants on the cliff tops.

However, as he arrived at the leafy foliage dangling over the opening of the cavern he realised that the tide was right in, the water lapping gently at the brink of the entrance. It was going to be impossible for Iruka to reach the cliff path along the beach.

The chuunin's face lit up.

"Change of plan, I know what I'm gonna do."

He tore off his clothes and ran into the sea. He gasped as the coldness of the water made contact with his tanned skin but that didn't stop him. As soon as he was waist deep, he dived in, ducking beneath the gently undulating waves and began to swim away strongly.

Kakashi watched as the chuunin swam from the shore. It had been many years since he'd been bathing in the sea. He tore off his clothes and followed Iruka. He was sure the salt water would have a beneficial effect on his wound and he was determined that he should get as much exercise as he could – within reason – as it was so important to maintain his physical fitness. He set a significantly more sedate pace than the chuunin's exuberant rate but it was good to bathe.

Eventually Kakashi caught up with Iruka who was bobbing in the water a few hundred metres out to sea. Kakashi knew the beach very well, particularly the topography below the surface when the tide was in, and he was also aware of any currents, so he knew that they were safe to swim in that bay. He was vaguely aware that Iruka might have caught sight of him without his mask when he was sick with fever, but nevertheless wanted to maintain some degree of anonymity, so made sure that his mouth and chin remained below the surface of the water, which amused his companion.

They bathed for an hour or so, just splashing in the water, taking in the warmth of the morning sun. It was wonderfully relaxing for both of them after the chakra drain from their encounter with the Iwa ninja. Eventually they swam ashore when the tide had receded far enough to leave enough coastline for Kakashi to forage upon and a clear route up to the cliff path for Iruka. They both felt thoroughly invigorated as they reached the beach once more, wading through the small splashes of wavelets lapping against the shingle then stepping onto the warm, soft sand. They had nothing to dry themselves off with, so Iruka decided to go for a run towards the headland, turning away to run along the shoreline. Just a gentle jog, nothing too strenuous. Kakashi was tired so he found himself a warm rock to lie on and basked in the sunshine. The warmth of the sun on his face felt good. He watched lazily as the naked chuunin ran along the sandy shoreline. He had dressed and replaced his mask well before Iruka returned and dressed himself.

Afterwards, they went off separately to forage for food.

* * *

><p>When the chuunin returned from the cliff top, he found that Kakashi had already started a fire just outside the cave entrance. The older man seemed a little bit agitated but Iruka didn't push him to talk. He had already figured out that the ANBU was a very private person and if he had wanted to volunteer any information he would have done so.<p>

Iruka would have laughed if he had known the real reason for Kakashi's irritation. The ANBU had had to start the fire using conventional methods. He had spent ages rubbing the stick against the fireboard to get the friction to generate enough heat to light the tinder. It was immensely frustrating for him. He'd been able to start fires in seconds from a very early age having learned fire based jutsu techniques as a boy. Having to resort to traditional methods because he didn't have enough chakra was unbelievably frustrating for him.

Kakashi had found some more cooking vessels on the beach – tin cans and a couple of old metal containers which would be perfect for cooking with. He had washed them all out carefully and started boiling up some fresh water from the cliff side waterfall in the tin cans. Iruka handed him some dandelion leaves and flowers he had collected and the ANBU added them to the boiling water, letting them infuse for a few minutes. Then the Leaf shinobi sat together in the sun and enjoyed their tea.

"So, how did you know about this beach?" Iruka enquired of Kakashi.

"I was here during the war. My sensei was Namikaze Minato and our cell had a mission that required us to infiltrate deep into Iwa territory. We found this area by accident. My team were holed up here for a few days before we set out on our mission. Its location is ideal as it's only a few hours' run to the main Iwa towns but it's really secluded and no one seems to know about it."

Iruka was impressed. "You fought in the war?"

Kakashi nodded.

"And your sensei was really the Fourth Hokage?"

Kakashi gave a wry smile. He pulled down his mask and sipped at his dandelion tea, neatly shielding his face from view with the tin can as he did so. It was piping hot, too hot to drink really, but it tasted good. It had an earthy, herby flavour. He replaced his mask.

"Wow, that's amazing. Tell me, what was he like?" Iruka found it fascinating that the ANBU had had such an interesting career. He wanted to get to know this shinobi. He owed him such a very great debt – not only had he disobeyed a direct order and not assassinated the chuunin, he had saved his life and believed his story. He hoped that he might begin to break down the barrier that Kakashi had clearly constructed in attempt to maintain his privacy.

Kakashi sighed. He really didn't want to talk about Minato or his past or anything at all to this cheerful chuunin. His feelings were his own. He was still coming to terms with losing Rin, the last of Team Minato, and it hurt his soul even to think about it. But he wouldn't let himself give in to emotion, it was not the shinobi way. Better just to answer the question straight.

"Minato sensei was the most naturally talented ninja I have ever come across. He was the person I respected most in this world." Kakashi felt uncomfortable letting out this much of his true feelings about Minato to this relative stranger. Sure, Kakashi liked the chuunin, but wasn't planning on giving him a life history any time soon.

"Do you miss him?"

Kakashi really didn't want to go there. "Yes," was all he could say. The words were barely audible.

"I lost my parents in the Nine Tails' attack." The chuunin fought to contain his emotions as he spoke these words. It happened many years ago and yet the pain still burned. But he knew the shinobi code all too well and, even though he still endured moments when the hurt from his loss got too much and he let out his feelings privately, he was damned if he was going to show it in front of the ANBU

Kakashi didn't really know how to respond. A lot of people had died that night. A lot of people had died during the war. A lot of people had died since. It was what being a shinobi was all about.

"I'm sorry." That was what he was supposed to say.

Iruka nodded, grateful for what he perceived to be sympathy. He changed the subject.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty one."

"You're not much older than me but you fought in the war? And how come I don't ever remember seeing you at the Academy?"

"I was fast-tracked."

"What was the war like?"

"What is this? T&I?"

Kakashi sounded more irritable than he had intended to but Iruka backed off immediately. "Sorry," he whispered. "I only wanted to get to know you better. You know, seeing as we're stuck with each other for the next few days."

Kakashi nodded to acknowledge his apology but didn't say anything. He sipped at his tea, observing Iruka carefully through his half-lidded eye. It was clear to Kakashi that the chuunin had an abundance of energy and enthusiasm. The questions weren't irritating, banal or inane, it seemed as though Iruka was genuinely interested in getting to know him. But the ANBU had always maintained an air of caution when it came to giving out any information about himself, particularly with a stranger, even one from Konoha. Giving the impression of being aloof was a defence mechanism he had cultivated over many years and it was designed to protect him. He needed it more than ever now that Rin was gone.

But Kakashi didn't remain silent. He had a few questions of his own. He was impressed at Iruka's determination to recover the scroll and clear his name, so he wanted to know more about the Iwa ninja.

"They were a really nasty bunch. I learned about what they do. They are basically state sanctioned bandits, who patrol Earth territory, challenging any non-Iwa shinobi they come across. They are really horrible. I hated every moment that I had to be with them. They told me that they had recently captured and killed a Konoha kunoichi."

Kakashi's eyes widened, his body tensed and he took a sharp intake of breath. He leaned across and gripped Iruka's wrist tightly. This gesture was highly unusual for the ANBU, he normally steered clear of physical contact if he could avoid it. "What do you know about this?" he hissed, in a demanding tone.

Iruka pulled his wrist away, frowning. "You really don't want to know."

"Oh I think I do. In fact, I _know _I do." Kakashi's voice was dangerously low and very insistent. Iruka noticed that it was the closest the ANBU had come to any display of emotion.

"Okay, I will tell you. But you won't like what you are about to hear." Iruka's voice was slightly hesitant.

Kakashi shook his head slightly to indicate that he did want to hear what the chuunin had to say. He closed his eyes and prepared himself to hear an account of what had happened. He felt sick to the core but steeled himself. He was utterly determined not to show _any_ emotion to the chuunin.

Iruka took a deep breath. He had heard the tale from Okojo, one of Kemono's lackeys, a young ninja who was pretty new to the gang and wasn't very competent, Iruka had later come to learn. He was all about the talk and no action, always lurking in the background until he could muscle in on whatever exploits that the mob had devised without any risk to himself.

Okojo told Iruka that the gang had chanced upon a Konoha kunoichi just a few days before they had captured Iruka's team. They were located on the other side of the Shaku range at the time, well into Earth territory. They had spent a typical evening together drinking and gambling, betting on whom they were next going to capture and from which shinobi nation.

It turned out that they had drunk far, far more than they had expected to and, one by one, had succumbed to a sozzled snooze as the remnants of the evening turned into dusk and dusk into a dark and silent night. Their camp fire had extinguished itself.

Apparently the kunoichi had come across them earlier that evening on her way back from her mission but had not been noticed and had wisely retreated from them. Like all Konoha shinobi had been taught, she waited through the night until she could make her move to get back home in the small hours of the morning, just before dawn. She would have made it too. She was clever and had successfully bypassed all the traps the Iwa ninja had set in order to be alerted to the presence of any enemy shinobi.

But she had been unlucky. The Iwa ninja had eaten a vast meal the night before and had had way too much to drink. The sounds of them sleeping would have disgusted anyone, although Okojo had always found it amusing to tell Iruka all about the snoring and farting and general slovenliness of the Iwa gang. Unfortunately, Kemono started snoring particularly loudly as the kunoichi passed by, a raucous noise that echoed around the canyon, disturbing some of the eagles that had been nesting in the crags above the camp. The birds flew off, squawking loudly as they did so while loosening small pebbles from the rocks above, causing them to tumble into the valley below. These pebbles then triggered one of the Iwa ninjas' traps, instantly waking Kemono and the gang from their slumber.

Apparently she froze and masked her chakra instantly. But it was no use. As Iruka knew all too well from his own experience, Kemono's chakra perception was unrivalled and he detected her presence immediately.

She then ran, as fast as she was able, and was making a good escape, good enough to out run most shinobi, but she had no idea that the big, bald brute had the power to drain her energy, sap her chakra and bring her to her knees in a matter of seconds.

The Iwa ninja were delighted to have captured a kunoichi, particularly one from Konoha. They had all woken up feeling horny – as usual - and, instead of having to jerk themselves off, well…

Iruka was finding it increasingly difficult to continue this story. He had hated hearing it from Okojo, but somehow relaying it to a Leaf comrade made him feel even worse. His voice had become increasingly quiet as he repeated the story, the boast, that he had heard from the Iwa.

"Go on…" Kakashi's voice was ice cold but absolutely insistent.

Iruka shuddered. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. "They drained her of her chakra and, well, they all took her…"

He couldn't continue. He looked up at Kakashi. The ANBU's body was rigid and his eyes wide open. It was so hard for Iruka to determine his feelings – rage? fury? hatred? sadness? - from his expression.

"Finish the story," Kakashi hissed with an air of urgency.

Iruka's voice was, by now, barely audible. "She fought. Even with her chakra drained, as each forced himself upon her, she tried to defend herself. To the best of her ability, with every fibre of her being. Apparently she inflicted wounds on many of them as they each abused her."

Kakashi's face was ashen. He couldn't not believe what he was hearing. Iruka continued, his voice a mere whisper.

"And afterwards they killed her. They left her there. All her energy was stolen from her, she was drained of her chakra."

It was clear to the chuunin that Kakashi needed a further explanation. He elaborated.

"Apparently Kemono decided that if they let her go, she might get back to Konoha and tell the Leaf authorities what had happened to her. It would cause all sorts of trouble between our two countries, and could potentially restart active hostilities. I mean we've been enemies with Iwa for as long as anyone can remember but not actively at war for many years. He decided that it would be best if no one should ever find out what they had really done to her, so he killed her. Ignited those sparkling eyes, drained her completely and watched as her life just faded away."

Kakashi closed his eyes.

Iruka was shifting uncomfortably as he relayed the tale. He was desperately trying to gauge what the ANBU was thinking, how he was feeling. He could tell that there was something more to this than just a loyalty to Konoha, more than simply sorrow at a Leaf kunoichi's demise. He was incredibly intuitive and he speculated that the name that Kakashi had cried out in his feverish sleep might have some connection to this story.

Kakashi didn't say a word. He was stony-faced and his expression remained blank as the chuunin relayed the story that he had heard. The ANBU simply sat there, focussed and calm as he absorbed every single word that Iruka spoke. The only clue the chuunin had to assess how important this was to Kakashi was that his normally half-lidded eye was wide open.

When Iruka had finished repeating the tale, Kakashi focussed his gaze intently upon the chuunin. He had a question that needed answering. It would determine this chuunin's future. Whether he should help him or kill him. The ANBU was absolutely prepared for either eventuality.

Kakashi's voice was barely audible as he asked in a monotone. "You were part of their gang for a while. Did you play any part in this?"

Iruka was horrified. "Of course not! I heard it second hand. It happened before they captured me. I was shocked and disgusted to hear them boast about what they had done. If I had been with them at the time I would have tried to help her in any way I could have. I am loyal to Konoha but please, please believe me when I say that I would never have wanted to witness that happen to _anyone_, let alone take part. I am appalled at what they did."

Kakashi nodded, his expression grim.

Iruka continued, a fierce expression upon his face. "Kakashi, if I had been there, believe me, Konoha kunoichi or any kunoichi, any woman, any person, I would have done everything in my power to prevent it happening."

Kakashi lowered his eyes. He took a deep, deep breath and exhaled very, very slowly. He was desperately trying to contain his emotions. He had known that his best friend had suffered a hideous demise, but somehow hearing it from someone who had a connection – however tenuous - to those who were responsible for such a reprehensible crime made it so much worse. He gritted his teeth and fought hard to bury his feelings. He wanted to punch Iruka's lights out, not because Iruka was at fault, but because he was the closest person to the perpetrators that he knew.

Iruka was a sensitive man and also intuitive. He cared deeply about other peoples' feelings and sensed that there was more to this than Kakashi simply wanting to hear the story about the sad demise of a Konoha shinobi. Somehow this felt much more personal, which made it all the more tragic.

He could hardly bring himself to raise the subject, but he absolutely needed to know. His voice was soft and the expression in his wide brown eyes sincere as he whispered, "I have the most horrid feeling that that was your friend Rin, wasn't it? The one you were dreaming about?"

Kakashi closed his eyes. He didn't say a word. He didn't need to. The barest hint of his head nodding spoke volumes to the chuunin.

Iruka continued, "I am so, so sorry. If I had known I would never have told you such details." He paused briefly. "Did you love her very much?"

Kakashi glanced up at the chuunin, noting the look of concern in his eyes.

"She was not my lover. She was my best friend and my team mate," he said in a monotone. "I loved her as a sister."

He paused and considered what he was about to say because like it or not, he was about to reveal something about himself that, in normal circumstances, he would never, ever have admitted.

"I don't believe that I have anyone else left in this world that I care for."

This saddened Iruka enormously. He had suffered his own terrible loss as a child, but he had so many friends in Konoha, so many people that he loved and friends who loved him. He couldn't bear to see how distressed this ANBU was, how much he was suffering inside, even though he steadfastly refused to show any sign of it. He reached out to touch Kakashi's hand. He squeezed it gently and looked directly into the ANBU's eyes, nodding his head slightly, his wide brown eyes expressing as much sympathy as he could convey.

Words were not necessary.

Words would have been inadequate.

Iruka recognised that Kakashi was grieving. And yet, as a shinobi, he wasn't allowed to mourn. Not properly. Both Obito and Minato had died fighting for Konoha. That was horrible, but it was a fundamental part of shinobi life. But for Rin to have been tortured and killed in such a hideous way was more wrong than anything he could possibly imagine.


	6. The Insolence of Office, and the Spurns

Hello again. Thanks so much for the reviews/faves/alerts. As ever, I'm delighted to hear from you and they are very much appreciated. Sorry that the last chapter was horrid. This one is much more cheerful. Warnings for bad language and pranks. Usual disclaimers apply.

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><p>Chapter 6 – The Insolence of Office, and the Spurns<p>

Kakashi lay awake for another night. His body really needed to rest but he couldn't get the horrible thoughts about what had happened to Rin out of his head. More than anything in the world, he had wanted to protect her.

He felt that he had failed her.

He thought about their friendship. How close they had become since Obito and Minato had passed away. He trusted her absolutely – she was the one person in the world with whom he could share his hopes and dreams.

They were so incredibly close. Being child soldiers in a terrible war they had had to learn to work together, to fight together, to depend on each other. Their relationship couldn't simply be described by the term 'friendship', the feelings they had for each other ran far, far deeper. Rin was beloved by Kakashi; after losing both his parents, she was the closest person he had to a relative. Kakashi had learned that 'family' was about far more than blood ties. Between them, his team-mates had taught Kakashi who he really was. If Obito had unbolted the door to Kakashi's inner world, then Rin had flung it wide open.

She knew him so well.

They had slept with each other once. Just once. It was a stupid thing to do, they had both returned from a challenging mission, had had far too much to drink, had declared the other to be their 'besssht friendsh' and staggered into bed together. They both knew it had been a mistake. Drunken fumblings in the dark, neither could remember much of what had gone on, let alone whether it had been any fun. But the morning after was, curiously, the time that they finally allowed themselves to be absolutely honest with each other. The first thing Kakashi did when he woke up was to apologise to Rin. She turned around to face him, bleary eyed, her hair looking like it would rival any scarecrow's and with make-up smeared all over her face. She smiled at him, a groggy hungover smile but her expression was full of kindness.

"I'm sorry Rin. I didn't mean to let things get so out of control. It was wrong of me."

"It's okay, Kakashi. It takes two to come back from a mission, get drunk and fuck each other stupid. Besides, I know."

"Know what?"

She paused briefly. She knew that she was going to open up a Pandora's box if she said anything further but she instinctively felt that it was the right time. If she didn't raise the subject now, they would never talk about it. And she understood all too well that Kakashi needed to talk about it, whether he liked it or not.

"That you like men."

Crap. How did she know? He'd never told her, never told anyone. He decided to bluff.

"Then what was last night all about? Didn't we just, er, do it?"

"Baka. Last night was all about us drinking too much and falling into bed because we somehow got through that mission alive and didn't have anything else to do."

She was so incredibly perceptive.

It was then that she finally told him the truth. She had never brought up her feelings for Kakashi since she had tried to declare her love for him the day that Obito had died. But now was the time to let him know that while she had loved him for many years, she had recognised early on that her love was, and always would be, unrequited.

And that was okay.

This admission made Kakashi feel both confused and guilty. He'd never had much chance to interact with children of his own age when he was growing up and didn't really have much in the way of social skills, certainly when it came to developing relationships or falling in love. He'd been a boy soldier dedicated to fighting for Konoha. He didn't really know how to do anything else.

But it was true, he _was _attracted to men.

"You know I love you as a friend, don't you? You're my best friend, the one person in this rotten world that I trust."

Rin laughed, a sweet laugh that wasn't patronising or mocking. She looked up at him, eyes shining, and gave him a huge hug.

"I got over you many years ago."

Kakashi's grey eye curved slowly into a smile. "So we're good then?"

"Of course. Now you owe me breakfast."

From then on, their friendship could not have been more solid.

In fact it was Rin who introduced Kakashi to his first boyfriend. Her cousin Shikunshi was a few years older than they were and he had come out recently. He had told Rin first because she was the closest family member that he could trust. She wasn't the least bit surprised and her reaction was typically non-judgmental – she fully realised how difficult it must have been for him to tell her. She loved him as her cousin and as a friend and couldn't give a damn about his sexual preferences. He was a great person. And that was all that mattered. Her response, however, was to introduce him to Kakashi.

She invited them both to the Crossed Kunai, a bar where younger shinobi often hung out together. It was bustling and busy, but it had a good atmosphere. It had both a wild dance floor for boogieing the night away as well as private booths for patrons who wanted to chat or enjoy a more intimate evening together. Gai was well known for frequenting the dance floor, strutting his stuff in skintight glittering green spandex, his dazzling disco displays amazing the local teenage civilian girls. It had occurred to Kakashi that his rival might one day decide to challenge him to a dancing competition which, if the Green Beast ever proposed it, the ANBU planned to forfeit immediately. Better to lose a challenge than humiliate himself on the dance floor.

The trio sat together in one of the smaller booths. Rin introduced them. "Kakashi, this is Shikunshi. He is my favourite cousin and he has recently come out."

She turned to address her relative. "And this is Kakashi, my team mate. I have only just dragged him out of the closet."

Both men looked at each other, slightly hesitantly, and spoke simultaneously, "Yoroshiku."

Kakashi was furious. As Shinkunshi went off to buy them drinks, the jounin pulled Rin towards him and hissed, "Are you kidding? Are you setting me up on a blind date?"

She turned around and grinned at him, a naughty glint in her eye as she declared softly, "Yes. I just know you'll get on well. Trust me."

And then she departed, leaving the two men to get to know each other. At the time Kakashi could have cheerfully throttled her, but she was right. Once they had broken the ice, they found out that they did get on well together.

The pair never really fell in love. It was difficult for Kakashi to spend any time developing a relationship because he was often away on missions, sometimes for months at a time. Shikunshi was a kind man, easy-going and a little shy, but gentle and considerate, and also very hot. Kakashi enjoyed hooking up with him when he did spend time in Konoha. The sex was great and they both learned a lot from each other. But Kakashi couldn't commit. And Shikunshi accepted that. They eventually drifted apart but remained good friends.

Kakashi hadn't managed to see Shikunshi before he had been assigned his Black Ops mission to assassinate Iruka. He had felt bad about this. He had very much wanted to see him, commiserate with him, maybe drink together and raise a toast to Rin.

Both men had truly loved her – as a cousin or as a friend – and as a woman, a kunoichi of remarkable prowess and extraordinary kindness.

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><p>The following morning Iruka woke early. He glanced over to the other side of the cave where Kakashi lay sleeping. He knew that the ANBU would have had a troubled night's sleep. Iruka felt desperately sorry for him. He understood all too well the horrible feeling of raw grief. Insidious and persistent and unremitting, it gnawed at the soul. If Kakashi had lost his best friend recently, and in such an appallingly dreadful way, Iruka was all too aware that the ANBU was bound to be feeling terrible, no matter how much he tried to hide it. Combined with having disobeyed a direct order and failed to complete his assigned mission, he was probably coming to terms with a huge number of awful things in his life. And yet Iruka had already established how private he was and how reluctant he was to give out any information about himself. Noted how stoic he was and how much he had learned to contain his emotions, not allowing himself to give anything away.<p>

He really liked Kakashi. And wanted to help him.

He decided to cheer the ANBU up. He was fully aware that you can't just get someone to snap out of a funk – it doesn't work like that. But Iruka was both intuitive and kind. He knew _exactly_ what he should do.

He checked that Kakashi was still sleeping soundly then snuck out of the cave very, very quietly.

Kakashi woke up a while later feeling physically improved, although his mood was still dark and his chakra level irritatingly low. Iruka was nowhere to be seen. The ANBU peered towards the entrance. The sun was up and the day was bright. He decided to venture out of the cave.

He pulled at the fronds of green leaves that hung across the entrance of the cave allowing him access to the beach. They felt slightly heavier than usual but he was still waking up and feeling a little bit groggy, so he didn't pay much attention to that fact.

Didn't pay enough attention.

He put just one step forward to walk past the fronds and…

…Smack!

A face full of heavy, wet, brown seaweed slapped him right across the jaw. It had been carefully arranged by Iruka within the existing leafy mass to fall at the very moment Kakashi tugged at the foliage. It didn't hurt anything, except his pride.

The ANBU scowled. _Ha ha ha_, he thought to himself in derisive monotone. Bloody idiot.

He vowed he would never fall for a cheap trick like someone leaving a trap above an entranceway ever – _ever_ - again.

He took a step further. The sand in front of the cave felt slightly soggy, but he put it down to the tide having retreated.

That bloody chuunin was sitting on a rock further along the beach, right by the edge of the cliff, a few hundred metres away, laughing at him after the seaweed prank.

Right – he was going to get his revenge.

Kakashi started striding out across the sandy beach with the aim of chasing Iruka, catching Iruka, trapping Iruka and beating Iruka to within an inch of his life.

Stupid bloody prankster.

No sooner had he taken two steps when – sploosh! – he sank into a pool of quicksand. Waist deep in a pond of cold, soggy, squelchy sand. Ah fuck, he was going to have to wash his trousers completely to get the wet sand out of them.

Iruka had created a quicksand pool just outside the cave entrance?

Idiot.

That was it. The chuunin saw the look of sheer exasperation in Kakashi's eyes and started to run. He glanced over his shoulder as he took off, wanting the ANBU to pursue. He reckoned that they would be a pretty good match as his chakra was already returning and he knew that, although Kakashi had some physical energy, his ability to use ninjutsu would be very limited. He was well aware that under no circumstances would he be able to take on a Black Ops shinobi at peak fitness. But his intention wasn't to challenge the ANBU's strength, it was to provide a distraction.

Kakashi heaved himself out of the quicksand pool, his trousers dripping with cold, sloppy sand, and he commenced his pursuit. But as he started to build up momentum as he chased after his prey, Iruka had another plan to slow his pursuer down. His troublemaker past had resulted in him having some offbeat approaches to combat. He made the appropriate hand seals as he scampered off along the beach.

Doton: Earth Avalanche!

As Kakashi passed along the foot of the cliff, he heard a rumble. He glanced at the cliff face as he passed by and noticed that a large number of the rocks were beginning to shake. The scree started sliding slowly down the cliff side, followed by larger pebbles, then...

...that stupid chuunin had arranged a bloody landslide! As Kakashi passed the foot of the cliff, he had to leap over the hundreds of rocks that were sliding down the cliff face at an accelerating rate and tumbling onto the beach below. Some of them were huge. He wove his way around the falling boulders, dodging some, leaping over others, competent and sure-footed, avoiding all obstacles with ease.

Fucking idiot. That wasn't a joke, it was bloody dangerous.

But maybe the chuunin knew that he would dodge the stones and boulders. He was ANBU after all, from the elite of Konoha's elite.

Kakashi avoided all the rocks with ease and continued his pursuit.

Eventually he found himself within range of the prankster. His judgement and timing were always excellent so he lunged in a flying tackle, grabbing at Iruka's ankles. The chuunin lost his balance and tumbled to the floor, landing on the soft, sandy beach. He had put his arms out to break his fall and aimed to push them straight up so that he could launch himself off the sand and carry on running but Kakashi was too quick. He lunged forward then gripped the chuunin's shoulders, twisted him around so that he was lying on his back and straddled him, his knees keeping Iruka's shoulders pinned to the ground.

Iruka grinned as he looked up at his assailant.

"Do you yield?" Kakashi demanded.

"Absolutely not," Iruka replied, laughing.

"I have you pinned, you idiot."

"So? Let me tell you why I won't yield."

Iruka was clearly mocking his assailant. It seemed as though he was deliberately trying to rile Kakashi, to provoke him, but the ANBU couldn't quite understand why.

Kakashi's expression remained straight-faced. "So tell me then," he hissed.

"You'll have to come closer. I'll whisper it to you."

Kakashi frowned, then leaned forward, slightly confused. The chuunin paused for a moment. They remained there, face-to-face, staring each other out, neither wanting to be the first to blink.

"Closer. I have to whisper it." Iruka's voice was so low that Kakashi could barely hear his words. The ANBU moved even closer, so close that his mask was almost touching Iruka's scarred nose.

Iruka waited until Kakashi was within range. Although his shoulders had been pinned he realised that he still had movement in his elbows. Which meant that he had an escape plan.

Kakashi had absolutely no idea why this joker had started playing tricks and was still a little pissed that his skintight black trousers – the only pair of trousers he had - were soaked through and heavy with coarse sand, which chafed his skin. The chuunin raised his eyebrows and smiled, indicating that he was about to reveal why he wouldn't admit defeat. Kakashi's nose inched forward.

That was enough. He was within range. Iruka bent his elbows and quickly reached his hands towards Kakashi's mask. He grasped the elastic blue material and pulled it towards him, letting it stretch.

Pachi!

The mask pinged back across Kakashi's nose. The ANBU was so taken aback that he briefly lost his balance. Iruka grabbed the opportunity to shove his assailant out of the way and scamper off.

Kakashi was astonished. What the fuck was this brat doing?

He could remain aloof, wander back to the cave and chill out. Ignore the blithering idiot. That would be a sure fire way to irritate him back. Just refuse to acknowledge his existence. That approach worked with Gai every time.

Or he could chase him. Catch the cheeky prankster and teach him a lesson he wouldn't forget.

Kakashi considered both options.

And decided.

Actually, pursuit was the best choice. This was turning out to be fun.

As an elite ninja he was naturally quicker than the chuunin, but he had suffered both a chakra drain and poisoning, so they were on pretty even footing. Kakashi managed to catch up with Iruka once more, leapt forward and tackled him, reaching for his ankles, once again bringing him to the floor. As Iruka landed he muttered "Kage bunshin no justsu," almost imperceptibly quietly and a clone appeared behind the pair. Kakashi was busy wrestling his opponent to the ground. Just as he was turning the chuunin over onto his back, he sensed the clone's chakra but it was too late - the copy reached out and tickled his ribs. Kakashi resisted the urge to flinch and turned immediately to punch the clone, dispersing him in a whiff of smoke, but it was enough to give Iruka the chance to push his assailant out of the way then rise to his feet and bound off once more.

That really was it.

Kakashi leapt up and pursued the chuunin with a determination that he had never felt before. He had fallen for more cheap tricks in the last ten minutes than he had in his entire lifetime.

Iruka was beginning to tire. He'd spent the entire morning setting up the pranks and was very proud that he's managed to catch the ANBU out so many times. It was great fun, like being back at school again. He knew that Kakashi was tired and depressed and drained, but he also had an inkling that the Black Ops was starting to enjoy the thrill of the chase.

Kakashi caught up with the chuunin once more. This time he was determined to capture him and pin him. With an almighty effort he sprung forward and gripped Iruka's shoulders as he slammed the chuunin to the ground.

Iruka fell to his knees to break the impact of the tackle and then managed to twist his body so that he rolled onto his back. Kakashi landed on top of him, arms positioned either side of the chuunin's shoulders as his body pinned his target to the ground. Iruka's eyes were shining with glee as he looked up at the ANBU, finally admitting defeat. But Kakashi had clearly enjoyed the pursuit and was elated at having finally captured his quarry.

They stared at each other for a few moments, panting slightly as each caught their breaths. A bead of sweat dripped down from Kakashi's forehead onto his face and was absorbed by his mask. Iruka's hair had become untied during the pursuit had become loose and was splaying across the sandy beach.

What happened next surprised them both.

Iruka suddenly wrapped his arms around Kakash and just held him.

Hugged him.

Kakashi froze. Of all the things that might have happened, a hug was amongst the last things he would have expected. The ANBU, lying rigid in Iruka's arms, recognised that Iruka was being kind, but he didn't want this. He hadn't asked for this. He didn't need sympathy. He'd been a soldier since he was a boy. He was shinobi. He was stoic.

But, somehow, feeling the warmth of Iruka's body against his, experiencing the depth of feeling that the chuunin was trying to convey to him, Kakashi found himself beginning to let go.

He buried his face in Iruka's shoulder. He had no idea why he did it, only that it felt right. He couldn't bring himself to cry, he knew the shinobi code too well, but the chuunin could feel the ANBU's body relax slowly as the tension of the past few weeks gradually melted. He brought his hands behind the ANBU's head and ruffled the soft short silver hairs at the nape of his neck.

It was a gesture of affection, of sympathy, of compassion.

Neither of them had thought about what was happening – it really was spontaneous. All Kakashi had needed was a hug, some sympathy, a release. Iruka had realised this but it was almost subconsciously. It was the most natural thing in the world for him to do.

Eventually Kakashi lifted himself up onto his elbows, his body still pinning Iruka to the sandy beach. He looked at the chuunin. He could see concern, sincerity and just plain kindness in the younger man's expression. He stared at Iruka's face, gazing into his wide brown eyes, observing the way that his scar bisected his face. Everything about him seemed, well, unexpectedly captivating.

Suddenly he was overcome with an overwhelming desire to kiss the chuunin. Iruka looked up at Kakashi, his long brown hair splayed across the sand and with a small smile on his face, he was slightly unsure about the ANBU's intentions. Kakashi dipped his head slightly but he needed to pull off his mask. He hesitated...

...and the moment passed.

Kakashi's eye arched into a smile as Iruka gave him a final squeeze then muttered "gerroff" as he rolled the ABNU off him and onto the beach. The pair lay on their backs together, side by side, looking up at the clouds drifting in the pale blue sky as they relaxed after their energetic exertions. Eventually Kakashi rolled over to face the chuunin and broke the silence.

"So, chef, what are we eating tonight?"

Iruka rolled onto his side resting his head on his hand so that he was facing the ANBU and smiled. "Well, I think you should go fishing…"

Kakashi sighed. His normal lightning based fishing technique was out of the question so he was, once again, going to have to resort to traditional methods. "What, with a line and makeshift hook?" he asked, with an air of decided indifference.

Iruka giggled. "Yes. You may be a genius ANBU but you're a genius ANBU with no chakra and you now know what it's like to be a mere mortal. You know, fishing can be quite relaxing, you might actually enjoy it."

Kakashi huffed softly. "And what are you going to do?"

"I am going to make us some jelly," declared the chuunin. "I dried out some carrageen seaweed a few days ago, so it should be good to boil up. I don't have any sugar but I found some berries and I think I can use their juice to add sweetness to the jelly. Then we can have a pudding to go with the fish feast that you are going to catch."

Kakashi smiled. This chuunin, designated a rogue, on the run from his home village and a bunch of enemy ninja, was seriously considering making them a nice sweet dessert to eat that evening. He _really_ liked this guy.

And so they set about their tasks. Kakashi was amused by Iruka organising everything for them. The ANBU assembled some makeshift fishing gear - a bent piece of metal and a line he'd pulled from a worn out piece of rope found on the shoreline - and spent a pleasant afternoon sitting on a rock waiting for a bite or two. He'd even managed to wash his soggy, sandy trousers and let them dry out.

Sitting in the warm sunshine, relaxing by the shore, it was odd - he _did_ feel better. Yes, the sadness he felt in his heart was still there, still very much a part of him, and still very raw, but somehow the distraction Iruka had provided through his silly pranks and the chase had had really had a beneficial effect. Kakashi had allowed himself to relax, just briefly, and it had made a world of difference.

As evening fell, the Konoha pair sat down together and ate a fine meal of the freshest sashimi with raw vegetables. Iruka's seaweed jelly, which he had spent much of the afternoon boiling and straining, hadn't quite set, so that would have to wait until the next day.

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><p>They were both tired from their earlier exertions and decided to have an early night. The more they rested, the sooner they would recover from the chakra drain.<p>

As he rested, Iruka lay awake thinking. He'd had fun today. He really liked Kakashi and somehow felt that he'd been able to help him, to distract him, if only temporarily, from the plethora of troubles he was having to deal with. But Iruka had his own worries. As the chuunin lay on the bare rock on the opposite side of the cave to where Kakashi was sleeping he considered his options.

He was still feeling anxious. Although Kakashi had believed his story, he felt that he had a very great obligation to redeem himself and clear his name. He had to return to the Iwa village, somehow ingratiate himself with the gang and find a way to steal back the scroll.

He was fairly sure that Kakashi would help him, if he asked him to. But Iruka was worried. The ANBU was clearly exhausted from the chakra drain and had taken a poisoned kunai in the back while rescuing the chuunin he had actually been assigned to kill. Yes, he'd been through enough and simply wouldn't be ready to take on a battle with such a horrible gang any time soon.

Iruka considered his options. He knew he was good with people. His best bet was probably to go back and continue his charade – pretend that he had escaped his Konoha captor and returned to them with the intention of restarting his task of translating the scroll. Kakashi was in a poor physical state and would not be able to use ninjutsu against the Iwa gang. He didn't want to have to involve the ANBU in his mission if he could possibly avoid it.

Iruka was all too aware of the perils of having anyone else involved with the gang. Kemono was such a dangerous shinobi, with a deadly power. Better to use psychology rather than force. He was convinced that he could steal back the scroll and then make his escape. Then he and Kakashi could get back to Konoha together. He was _sure_ the Hokage would understand.

He picked up an object lying close to where Kakashi lay sleeping. He listened to the ANBU's breathing. It was slow and steady. He was finally sleeping well, getting the much needed rest that his exhausted body deserved. Iruka silently left the cave.

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><p>The following morning Kakashi awoke feeling refreshed. The first thing he did was to open the sharingan.<p>

Finally! The enhanced vision afforded by this super- eyesight kicked into action. Kakashi closed his eyelid immediately, knowing full well that any use of the sharingan to be a major drain on his depleted chakra. But this was good news – his chakra was returning to him at last.

He was puzzled to find that the chuunin was nowhere to be seen. He wondered if Iruka had gone foraging again. He got up and made his way to the front of the cave, tentatively pulling at the leafy fronds covering the entranceway, cautious about having to endure any further seaweed enhanced tomfoolery. But there was no need to worry – no traps had been set. Kakashi smiled to himself as he left the cavern. He'd actually enjoyed the previous day's chase.

Kakashi strolled out onto the beach. He was feeling good – his recovery from the poisoning was going well and his had even managed to find some chakra reserves. However his heart sank as he walked towards the sea and noticed that a message had been left for him. Iruka had scrawled some words into the damp sand as the tide had retreated:

HAVE GONE BACK TO IWA TO RETRIEVE SCROLL. DON'T WORRY – I WILL BE FINE. WILL MEET YOU BACK HERE IN TWO DAYS. THEN WE CAN RETURN TO KONOHA.

"Baka," muttered the ANBU.

Iruka was going to be in trouble. There was no way on earth that the Iwa ninja would accept him back into their fold.

Kakashi had already established that the chuunin was one of the good guys.

Friendly. Trusting. Caring.

Naive.

Kakashi sighed.


	7. Who Would Fardels Bear

Hello again. First of all I would like to thank everyone who took the time to review this story. I haven't been able to reply to everyone personally but I wanted to let you know how encouraging your comments have been. So, thank you very much. Here's another chappie. Later than planned - real life can get so irritatingly busy. Usual disclaimers apply.

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><p>Chapter 7 - Who Would Fardels Bear<p>

Iruka set a good pace as he returned to the Iwa village. The journey gave him an opportunity to think over recent events. His life had turned into a maelstrom but despite his many worries, he had actually enjoyed the last few days he had spent with Kakashi. He liked the ANBU very much and was grateful that he had believed his story. They had even had some fun together yesterday and Iruka felt that he had been able to help his companion come to terms with his grief – if only in a very small way – and he felt good about that.

He was feeling reasonably confident about his plan to retrieve the scroll. He was convinced that he would be able to reconcile with the Iwa gang. He despised them, truly he did. And knowing that what they had done to Kakashi's friend Rin had made him hate them even more. But he was clear in his decision that the best course of action was to carry on. He _had_ to continue the charade. Regain their trust. Snatch the scroll. Find Kakashi. Escape back to Konoha. And clear his name.

He strolled into town with a feigned air of self-assurance that was bordering on arrogance. He felt uncomfortable in this guise as he wasn't a naturally confident person, but he forced himself to act the part that he needed to play. He made for the gang's favourite haunt, that dingy old bar with the dirty windows in the seediest part of the village buried amongst the tall, tall buildings. Grimy and gloomy, that was where the Earth shinobi would lurk.

Iruka entered the bar and, once his eyes had adjusted to the dimness, looked around to see whether he could locate any of the Iwa shinobi. Sure enough, he found a bunch of them sitting in the corner of the room, slowly getting sozzled. He waved to them as he walked over to join them. He noticed immediately that their leader Kemono was not with them.

Okojo raised a glass in the Leaf chuunin's direction. "Hey, Iruka maaaaan. Good to shee ya."

Iruka pursed his lips into a false smile and nodded.

"When did you get back?"

"Just now. It took me ages to escape from that bloody Leaf assassin."

"What? You took on a Konoha ANBU?"

Iruka nodded, a pretend look of smugness upon his face.

"Really? And you won?"

"Yep. Don't believe me?"

The chuunin threw down Kakashi's porcelain ANBU dog mask onto the table in front of them. It landed amidst the glasses containing their half-consumed drinks with a clatter, the impact so hard that it cracked slightly across the left eyehole, curiously mirroring the scar on its owner's face. Iruka had felt a bit guilty about taking Kakashi's property without his permission but had decided that it was the best way to convince the Iwa gang that he had 'genuinely' managed to defeat an elite assassin. He'd apologise to the ANBU later, when he'd retrieved the scroll. He was sure Kakashi would understand.

"Sheesh, you're better than we thought you were."

A backhanded compliment if ever Iruka heard one. Which would be unfair if there wasn't more than a grain of truth to their assertion. Still, the Leaf chuunin maintained his plastic smile as he joined the Iwa gang.

"Well you guys helped out quite a lot with, you know, the chakra drain and the poisoned kunai blade…" apparently generously acknowledging the gang's participation in his deception whilst adding plausibility to his story.

They shrugged and nodded. That made sense. They relaxed slightly as Iruka sat down beside the Iwa team. He didn't ask to join them, he just parked himself beside them and started up a conversation. It was something that he would never normally do, but it was important to maintain his casual air of self-assurance.

"So, how are you all doing?"

The gang seemed a little reticent to talk with him. Aside from Okojo, their responses seemed brief and noncommittal. Iruka sensed that they were slightly uncomfortable around him. It felt as though maybe they didn't trust him.

Had he made a mistake in coming back?

They loosened up when Iruka bought them the next round of drinks. Typical Earth shinobi, it was easy to get them to chill out.

The group sat together, drinking and chatting. Iruka had never liked their banter – it was crude and rude and disrespectful but he smiled weakly at their jokes, in his attempt to prove to them that he was committed to re-joining them. Iruka was drinking with the gang but at a much slower pace, determined to maintain his façade and yet be sober enough to retrieve the scroll at the earliest opportunity.

After an hour or so Kemono turned up. He wasn't alone - a couple of weasly minions accompanied him. Iruka didn't know why the Iwa boss needed any henchmen alongside him at all; he was the most powerful shinobi Iruka had ever encountered. Perhaps it was a status thing – a way to assert his authority.

Iruka immediately rose from his seat to meet the big brute, his eyes bright and his expression hopeful that the Iwa gang leader would welcome him back into the fold. Reconciling with the gang was one thing, reconciling with its leader was the most important part of this mission.

Kemono greeted the Konoha shinobi cordially and asked briefly how he had managed to escape the Leaf assassin. Iruka showed him Kakashi's mask and explained about the poisoning and the Iwa leader seemed convinced enough. He wrapped his thick arm around Iruka's shoulder and beckoned him to leave the bar. He told the chuunin that he had some urgent business that needed completing and would need Iruka's help.

It was a short walk to a more respectable part of the town. Kemono led Iruka to a tall building in one of the Iwa town's administrative districts. They climbed several flights of stairs before approaching an office. As he entered the room, the chuunin could see a small hunched figure sitting at a desk poring over a document and studying it intently.

Iruka craned his neck to see if he could determine what that document was. Yes, his suspicions were correct – it was the Konoha scroll from his mission.

Kemono shut the door behind them with a bang, which disturbed the concentration of the room's occupant. He turned around to greet the newcomers. Iruka observed his appearance. He was thin and bookish and had a small frame. He was meticulously turned out, all his clothes fitted perfectly and his cropped brown hair was so trim and tidy that Iruka wondered quite how long it took him to dress in the morning to achieve such neatness. His eyesight was clearly very bad because he wore glasses with such powerfully thick lenses that his eyes were magnified and looked completely out of proportion with the rest of his face. He looked like a tarsier. The extra large eyes, with broad lashes that hit the lenses of his glasses and splayed out, gave the impression that he was constantly surprised.

Kemono began the introductions. "Iruka, this is Mogera."

Iruka greeted him cordially. "Yoroshiku." Mogera nodded in acknowledgement.

Kemono continued. "Mogera is one of Iwa's top cipher experts."

Iruka casually raised an eyebrow. Inside, he could feel a numbness forming in the pit of his belly.

Crap.

He was fully aware that Kemono was calling his bluff and that his bullshit 'deciphering' of the scroll was about to become undone. Even though he feeling increasingly nervous on the inside, he steeled himself – he _had _to keep up the pretence and, above all, maintain an air of self-belief. He wondered whether Kemono's sensory skills extended to hearing his heart beginning to beat rapidly inside his ribcage. He half-fancied that they might.

Taking a deep breath he adopted a businesslike approach to the specialist.

"So, how are you getting on then?"

Mogera scrutinised Iruka through his milk bottle glasses. He was a serious character, earnest and clearly fastidious.

"Well, I'm making some progress, although the code seems pretty obscure."

Iruka coughed. "Yes, I was having trouble with the finer points myself."

"Do you have the key?"

"The what?"

"The key. The unique parameter that determines the functional output of the algorithm for the cryptogram," Mogera insisted.

Iruka gulped. This guy knew what he was talking about. Of course Iruka didn't have the key. The Hokage wouldn't have entrusted the scroll _and _the key to him – that would not only be bad practice, it would be foolish. There was always a chance that a shinobi's scroll could be captured on a mission. That was the whole purpose of using a cipher. Iruka was going to have to bullshit some more.

"Okay, of course you understand that Konoha wouldn't have given me the key for security grounds but I don't see any reason why we can't try working it out together. I can give you a series of known codes and keywords and we can work together to see if we can translate the cipher?"

The expert seemed satisfied with his proposal and nodded in response.

Now that he located the scroll the chuunin needed to formulate a plan. He wondered how long he would be able to make the façade last. He figured that if Kemono would leave the pair of them alone, he could easily take on Mogera, steal the scroll and hotfoot it back to Kakashi.

But it was very obvious that Mogera knew what he was doing. He was likely to expose Iruka's bullshit sooner rather than later. Would Iruka get a chance to steal the scroll before Mogera declared him to be a charlatan? The Leaf shinobi was well aware of the consequences. He almost certainly be killed and most likely tortured as well. The Iwa ninja liked nothing better than to toy with their prey. And Kemono had the power to destroy any shinobi in a matter of seconds.

* * *

><p>Back at the beach. Kakashi was pondering the situation. He was very worried about Iruka. He had fully understood the chuunin's resolve to clear his name and put things right, but genuinely considered that he had been terribly naive in wanting to go back to the Iwa village alone.<p>

He wondered why Iruka would have taken off like that. Kakashi would have been more than willing to help him – he desperately wanted to avenge Rin's horrible demise – but why didn't Iruka ask him? Or wait until Kakashi was up to full strength and better able to assist? Was the chuunin so stubborn that he _had_ to do this alone? Did he not want to involve or inconvenience Kakashi? Was his situation so urgent that the translation of the scroll would have led to serious trouble for Konoha?

Or ...Kami, did he realise that the ANBU had wanted to kiss him yesterday? Kakashi shuddered at the thought. Had he scared Iruka? Had the chuunin taken off before things had gone too far?

_No_.

Kakashi had held back. He was certain that Iruka wouldn't have cottoned on to his true intentions. Although, in the back of his mind, he still rather wanted to kiss the chuunin.

Kakashi considered his options. His chakra was returning, but was not yet up to full strength. He wanted to help. He _needed_ to help.

Why the hell hadn't Iruka spoken to him about his plans? They could have worked together as a team.

He had actually enjoyed the last couple of days. He liked Iruka very much. He missed the chuunin. Missed his chatter, missed his questions, missed him organising their foraging, missed him fussing over Kakashi's wound.

Would miss listening to his gentle breathing as he slept in the cave that night.

He didn't want to admit it but he had a fluttering feeling forming inside him every time he thought about Iruka. He was trying to ignore it, but it was becoming increasingly persistent. He was beginning to feel attracted to the chuunin.

He assessed the situation and decided that the best course of action might be to wait the two days that Iruka had determined it would take him to complete the mission. He guessed that the chuunin was hoping to resolve matters on his own and would rely on the rapport he had already built up with the Iwa gang. It would be unfair to muscle in on his plans and could potentially put Iruka in danger. He felt that although the chuunin was dealing with an incredibly dangerous enemy, he was capable and focussed and had judged that façade over force was the correct course of action.

Which was okay, but unbelievably frustrating for the ANBU.

As Kakashi sat on the beach by the entrance to the cave, basking in the morning sun and pondering these options, he noticed a pack of around eight or nine dogs walking along the shore some distance away. They were a motley mix of mutts – some large, some small, all lean - clearly strays. He noticed that one of the dogs, no more than a puppy, was limping and struggling to keep up with the older dogs.

Kakashi remained very still. He was poised, ready to run or even teleport if the hounds turned out to be aggressive. Dogs weren't usually ferocious, and these didn't appear to be vicious, but it didn't hurt to exercise caution. He figured that it would probably be unlikely that the pack would approach him anyway.

But the dogs did start to wander over in the direction where he was sitting. As the ANBU observed them he could tell that the puppy was in some pain – it seemed as though he had injured his paw and was unable to put any weight on it at all. Kakashi decided to approach the pack with a very great deal of caution. As he walked towards them slowly, the dogs moved towards him. They were friendly hounds but they worked as a team and surrounded him, sniffing at him with a canine curiosity that he found appealing. He sensed that at least some of them possibly possessed chakra, which surprised him. He wondered whether they might be ninken? But why would they be wandering as a pack? Who on earth would be their summoner?

When Kakashi was convinced that the dogs were friendly, he gingerly leaned forward and picked up the pup. It was tiny, a miniature miniature pug, maybe just a couple of months' old. He held it in the palm of his hand and petted its head. It looked up at him with slightly mournful eyes. Kakashi then tentatively picked up the puppy's injured paw to have a look at it. The dog whined with pain and immediately withdrew its foot.

"Shhh," Kakashi whispered to it softly, using a smooth, reassuring voice. "I won't hurt you."

But every time he tried to grasp the paw, the pup pulled away. So Kakashi sat down on a rock. He turned the tiny dog over onto his back and cradled him on his knees, rocking him gently, then he tickled his furry tummy. He made sure that he regularly maintained eye contact with the other hounds, as he needed them to be sure that he wasn't going to hurt the pup. He was very aware that the other hounds were watching proceedings with an intense interest. Slowly the pug started to relax and let himself trust Kakashi. With his legs akimbo he was also in an ideal position for the ANBU to get a good look at the damaged paw.

The pup eventually let the ANBU examine him. Ah – there it was – a thorn had embedded itself into the pad. No wonder the poor little thing had been limping. Kakashi pulled the thorn out, then stood up, observing the pack's reactions before slowly carrying the dog to the cave. They let him go. They trusted him.

Kakashi found the dock and plantain poultice mixture that Iruka had made up for his own wound, and spread it gently onto the paw. He waited a few moments to let it dry and adhere itself to the coarse grey pad. The pup whimpered slightly as he did so, but the ninja nuzzled the back of his ears and, soon enough, the pug's teeny curly tail started wagging.

The ANBU then took the pup back out to the other hounds and returned him to the group. The pug looked up at the shinobi with soulful eyes, then joined the rest of the pack as they continued their walk along the beach, eventually disappearing from view.

Kakashi then sat back, reached into his belt pouch and located the book he'd just picked up before leaving for his assassination mission. Icha Icha Paradise, a novel from one of Konoha's respected shinobi, now retired and who no longer lived in the village. Kakashi knew that Jiraiya had been good friends with his father and had been Minato sensei's sensei but, although he had met the Toad Sage a number of times as a boy, he hadn't seen him in many years. He was curious to read a book by someone he knew.

Kakashi had always loved reading. Rin too. They had similar taste in books and if they were ever on long missions together they would each take along a novel apiece and swap them if the mission turned out to be longer than expected. Kakashi smiled to himself as he imagined Rin's reaction to him reading this. She'd probably pretend to take offence, declare it to be unabashed smut and Kakashi to be the ultimate pervert and then she would gently bash him over the head with it, flattening his silver hair, and smiling as she did so. He'd argue that it was of interest purely because the author was a local shinobi and then she'd mock him for coming up with such an appalling excuse for reading filth. But she wasn't really a prude, she'd have been curious enough to read it too. Kakashi missed her gentle teasing so very much. And her lovely smile.

So far, Icha Icha Paradise was turning out to be extremely naughty, but lots of fun.

It temporarily took Kakashi's mind off worrying about Iruka. But, deep down, he was still feeling uneasy. He wanted to go after him.

* * *

><p>If only Kemono would leave the two of them alone, maybe Iruka could string it out just a bit longer. Bore the lout into falling asleep or convince him wander off to have a few jars of grog with the gang.<p>

But the brute was having none of it. Despite his outwardly friendly disposition, the chuunin could sense that he appeared to be much more suspicious of Iruka than ever before.

So the Leaf chuunin and Iwa expert sat side by side and Iruka tried to devise as many false Leaf codes and passwords as he could think of. They were so engrossed in the scroll translation that Mogera didn't even hear Kemono leave the room, apparently satisfied at last that they were working well together.

Now was Iruka's chance.

Iruka had just had a brilliant idea. He knew exactly how to retrieve the scroll and get the hell out of there.

He made his decision and decided to strike.

He yawned and stretched out. "I need to take a breather," he explained to the Iwa codebreaker. Mogera was too focussed even to acknowledge him.

Iruka stood up slowly, stretching as he did so to give the impression that he was tired and needed to have a rest. He paced around the room briefly, assessing how much attention Mogera was actually paying him.

None at all, it appeared. The bureaucrat was hunched over the code, concentrating on the task in hand.

So focussed, so dedicated.

So hapless.

Iruka silently executed the first part of his plan then leaned over the cipher expert's shoulder, giving the impression that he too was studying the scroll. He casually reached underneath Mogera's arm, pinching a sensitive nerve and rendered him immediately unconscious. The codebreaker slumped over the desk, hitting his head as he did so. He'd be out cold for a while.

Iruka grabbed the scroll, prepared it for transportation and shoved it into the pocket of the standard issue shinobi trousers. That was easier than expected. Now all he had to do was to escape. Ideally he didn't want to have to wander through the building. First of all, he made for the window. But it was locked so if he had wanted to exit through it he would have had to have broken the glass, which ran the risk of attracting attention. The only practical way out was through the door, along the long corridor of the Iwa offices and down the stairs. He made for the door, opened it tentatively and peered into the long passageway. All looked clear.

He snuck out into the corridor.

"Where the hell are you going?" boomed a loud voice , echoing around the empty office building.

Crap. Iruka looked behind him and found Kemono leaning casually against a wall, thick arms folded, black eyes blank and hollow. Iruka really hated those eyes. They were bleak and soulless, like an abyss. His expression was just chilling in its emptiness.

And just waiting to drain him of his life-force.

The chuunin decided to bluff again. He spoke in his most casually cheerful tone.

"Oh, hi, Kemono. I didn't see you there. I was feeling a bit tired what with all that concentrating on deciphering the code so I thought I'd just go outside for a while to get a break. You know, grab some fresh air, clear my head a little."

Like it was possible to get any form of fresh air in the depths of the Iwa village. The Iwa residences of the wealthy classes were built tall, almost as if they wanted to reach the sky, affording spectacular views of the Earth mountain ranges and with clean, fresh air. The administrative district where the office was located was slightly better than the dark alleyways and dingy side-streets that the Iwa shinobi usually frequented at ground-level, but the atmosphere was still polluted – rank and quite stifling.

Kemono observed the chuunin briefly. There was something about him that seemed slightly amiss. Something that he couldn't quite place.

And then he noticed it.

"Is that a scroll in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?" Kemono enquired, observing the rather large bulge in the chuunin's trousers.

"This? Oh, yeah. I was going to take it outside while Mogera took a breather. Thought I'd look at it in a different light. Maybe something would become clear to me if I looked at things with a different perspective."

Kemono paused before he spoke. He sighed. "Iruka. You've tried hard, pal, but I'm not stupid. I can see through the bullshit. You have no idea what you are talking about, have you?"

"But, but…"

Kemono held up his hand. "You maintained the pretence for far longer than I would have expected you to, but, face it, mate, you're out of your depth now. I _know_ you're playing me. You have no idea about the contents of the scroll and you were just about to head out back to Konoha with it. There's no way I'm going to let that happen. You know I can take it from you."

Iruka shrugged. In a final effort, he tried to appeal to Kemono's sense of humour; that had worked in the past. "You've gotta hand it to me for trying, ne?" a slightly sheepish expression in his eyes.

"Yeah and you've got to hand it to me. Pronto."

His heart was pounding with nervous anticipation as Iruka reached into his pocket and handed over the scroll.

He had failed.

The big bald brute grinned. "Thanks. And now I'm going to kill you."


	8. Fly To Others That We Know Not Of

Hello again. I had really, really wanted to get this chapter out much sooner but real life went from irritatingly busy to crazy manic. A huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story as well as all those who have faved/alerted it. Here's another chapter, usual disclaimers apply.

* * *

><p>Chapter 8 - Fly To Others That We Know Not Of<p>

Suppressing his chakra to virtually nothing and standing beside the unconscious Mogera inside the Iwa office room, Iruka listened intently as his clone, bearing a random scroll he'd picked up from the desk and enveloped in the Konoha scroll's distinctive paper wrapper, was frogmarched down the corridor by Kemono.

He had to wait. He knew all too well that Kemono would be suspicious of the clone but had fortunately been distracted by the fake scroll. Iruka knew that the Iwa leader's chakra perception was unrivalled and so he had allocated as much of his own chakra to the clone as he could afford to spare in order to achieve the deception. It meant that he was already feeling the effects of depleted chakra but it was better to use a clone to get Kemono out of the way. He was, quite literally, Iruka's biggest threat. If it came to a fight the Leaf chuunin's taijutsu was good enough that he could take on pretty much any of the Iwa weasels. They weren't that skilled and they had a tendency to rely on Kemono's astonishing power before leaping in and torturing or killing defenceless opponents. They were pretty cowardly if they had to actually engage in combat with a shinobi of any competence at all.

The wait was agonisingly slow, but he _had _to be patient. He was also concerned that Mogera might wake up at any time. The codebreaker was a bureaucrat and wouldn't present a challenge if they had to fight, but the cipher expert could shout and raise the alarm if Iruka didn't keep a close eye on him. He didn't present a particular threat but the chuunin decided to tie him up and gag him anyway.

Then Iruka examined the real Konoha scroll. He needed to return it to the Hokage and knew that he couldn't simply destroy it, otherwise there would always be suspicion hanging over him and no possible way to clear his name, but was now very aware that Iwa did indeed have cipher experts – and not just Mogera - who could make a reasonable attempt at translating it. He decided to modify it. That way, even if it fell into anyone else's hands and they figured out the key, the contents would be far more difficult to decipher. Iruka and Iruka alone would be able to provide the critical information.

First of all he unrolled it fully, then deliberately creased the scroll in several places. The delicate parchment crinkled as he did so. This immediately rendered some the characters far more difficult to read. Then he scratched at the paper randomly, but very gently. His plan was to make the scroll appear worn and aged. To add ambiguity to the plethora of characters printed across the document. Finally he decided that he needed to modify some of the kanji. He scratched away at some characters, shortening some lines here, deleting a few strokes there, smudging others, all with the aim of altering the meaning of just a few arbitrary words. He was very careful to memorise his modifications. Now he felt more confident that even if he couldn't get the scroll out, it would be significantly more difficult to translate with any degree of accuracy. It could buy him some time…

As the gloomy afternoon turned into dusk and dusk into darkness, Iruka peered out into the corridor. He felt reasonably certain that no one had passed by the office. The building was deserted now. He snuck out of the room as stealthily as possible and assessed the best escape route. He would be better off trying to find a back door and escaping into an alley rather than to emerge into the main street below.

As he tiptoed down the stairs, a strange feeling of déjà vu suddenly washed over him. He felt slightly nauseous.

Suddenly his consciousness was engulfed by what seemed to be a hallucination. He was being marched down one of the Iwa town's filthy streets, pushed around by a bunch of loud and raucous brutes, shoving him forwards. With each step increasing numbers of people – shinobi and civilians - surrounded him. It felt crowded, claustrophobic, distorted, disorienting and dangerous.

His vision appeared to be twisted and warped, blurring in and out of focus, as he recognised various Iwa shinobi moving in and out of his line of sight. Each of them had mean expressions and they were all shouting angry insults at him.

He recognised Okojo approaching him quickly and looking particularly malicious. He was clearly angry at having fallen for the Leaf ninja's deception so fully. He punched at Iruka, his solid fist making firm contact with the chuunin's jaw. That punch was to be his undoing.

The last thing Iruka saw in this vision was a look of astonishment and then understanding on Kemono's face as a clarity of detection passed across his countenance, like a veil of deceit being pulled away.

Iruka shook his head and blinked twice. He realised immediately what had happened. The Iwa had discovered that they had captured his clone. Okojo had inadvertently dispersed it by hitting it hard. The chuunin shivered as the clone's memories transferred into his consciousness.

He had to move fast now. They had cottoned on to his plan. It was clear that a great number of Iwa ninja were now fully aware that he had hoodwinked them. Kemono, in particular, was likely to be thoroughly pissed. Not only was he a wanted man, he was about to be hunted by pretty much everyone in that village. They would show him absolutely no mercy at all if they caught him.

* * *

><p>Sarutobi was troubled. He had sent Kakashi off on a simple assassination mission several days ago and the ANBU had not yet returned.<p>

It wasn't unreasonable that his Black Ops shinobi was not home. It was a long journey and the Third Hokage was fully aware that many ninja had encountered significant troubles when carrying out missions in that part of the world recently, so it was perfectly possible that his ANBU may have come across difficulties.

But it was unlike Kakashi to be anything other than meticulous when it came to carrying out his assignments. At his slowest pace, the journey would have been three days there, one day to locate and terminate the target, then three days back.

So maybe this length of time wasn't long enough. But the Third knew that Kakashi usually exceeded expectations and was capable of making the journey at a much, much quicker pace.

The Hokage was having one of his fretting days. He hated days like this. No one in Konoha, let alone the wider shinobi world, knew that he had these, not even the council, but he was feeling truly awful and was worrying about everything.

As he looked over his village from his office window he observed the panorama of Konoha – the hidden leaf village he had sworn to lead and to protect – before him.

Sarutobi had a secret ritual that he engaged in while he was contemplating. It helped him work through the issues that were troubling him. He carefully pulled back a rug that covered the flooring in front of the large glass window, rolling it up neatly and placing it to one side. The carpet beneath was so worn it was virtually threadbare and the rug had been strategically positioned to conceal the dilapidated fabric. It was that particular patch of the flooring that the Third used to pace up and down, walking backwards and forwards across that carpet, watching over his village, as he considered recent events and decided upon the best way to deal with them. It was his way of handling the responsibility of his position. On a really bad day he had been known to walk for miles.

He had just lost Rin, one of his finest kunoichi who also ranked amongst Konoha's top medics since Tsunade had left the village. She had been an asset to Konoha and would be greatly missed. He felt deeply for Kakashi, her best friend and comrade, on losing her. He knew very well how close they had been and that the ANBU was now the sole survivor from Team Minato. That made the Hokage very sad. He was proud of Kakashi, proud of his ability to stick to the Shinobi Code and to remain stoic despite his undoubted inner grief.

Sarutobi was also feeling terribly upset about Iruka. It was a fundamental part of his job to have to make the most awful decisions but the Shinobi Code had been drawn up for a reason. Each and every ninja who signed up to serve Konoha knew the rules. They were very simple and very clear: if you defected, you would die.

But the Third had truly liked Iruka. He had had so many plans for the chuunin. For a young man to have apparently turned his life around so well and then disgraced himself, was almost too much for the Hokage to bear. Iruka really had endured. The childhood depression he had suffered after losing his parents in the Nine Tails' attack had transformed him into the most irritating kid in Konoha. But despite all the exasperating pranks – and there were many, many pranks which were very, very exasperating – the Hokage had been convinced that, deep down, Iruka had had a good heart. He had seen both courage and determination in the young ninja's approach to his missions. He was never going to be the greatest shinobi in the village, but the Hokage had considered him to be loyal and dedicated. And he had had such a good idea about where his true talents might lie.

Which was why he was so disappointed with the turn of events and how badly the chuunin's first mission as leader had gone.

And so Sarutobi had had to assign an ANBU to kill him. Those were the rules. They were enshrined within the Shinobi Code.

But it didn't make the Hokage feel any better.

Sarutobi needed Kakashi to return and to have completed his assignment with ease. He could mourn the death of a young ninja who he cared for deeply and who he felt had had so much potential. And then he could move on.

He lit his pipe and puffed thoughtfully as he gazed over Konoha from his office and walked up and down that worn out old piece of carpet.

The Uchiha situation was coming to a head as well. He had another council meeting coming up soon with Homura, Koharu and Danzou all vying for action. The Hokage was desperately hoping that diplomacy would win the day. Still, he was due to visit the pre-genin at the Academy later that afternoon. That always cheered him up. Minato's son had started his training proper and the Hokage was keen to find out how he was getting on. He was very aware that the young kid was likely to be ostracised but trusted that, if he was anything at all like his father, he'd have more than enough spirit to get through it.

That the Hokage could give as much contemplation time to individual shinobi as well as wider political matters was testament to his worthiness of the title. He was a good man and he cared deeply for his village and all those who served it.

But Sarutobi just couldn't get shed his worries about Earth country from his mind. He wondered whether he should perhaps send more shinobi into Iwa to check the situation there.

* * *

><p>Kakashi was bored. He'd finished the chapter of Icha Icha Paradise, been for a run, found some more food and, and… just didn't have anything else to do.<p>

He knew that he was recovering from his chakra drain and poisoning by resting, but he hated waiting. Really hated waiting.

He was also feeling uneasy. He was very worried about Iruka. He didn't trust the Iwa ninja at all. He was pretty impressed that the chuunin had managed to deceive them for as long as he had, but he was sure that they would see through the façade before long.

He had no reason to doubt his comrade's abilities, but was worried that his judgement had been naive. But he felt that it was only fair to give Iruka a chance to resolve matters his own way.

Then Kakashi had a thought. Why should the chuunin have to return to meet him at the beach? Why couldn't the ANBU locate Iruka at the Iwa village and meet up with him after he'd retrieved the scroll? Then they could both return to Konoha together. He could go to the village slightly earlier and pick up a few supplies – maybe some food, meds, general supplies – for the journey home?

And while he was there, he could just check in to see how Iruka was doing. He didn't want to interfere – at this stage – but surely it wouldn't do any harm to be around.

Just in case…

And so Kakashi packed up their belongings, cleaned up inside the cave – leaving any food in storage, just in case they needed to return there if, say, Iruka had been injured - and started to walk to the Iwa village. No point in running, if Iruka believed he could sort out the situation without intervention, Kakashi had no reason to doubt him. He needed to get to Iruka only if the chuunin was in trouble. But the ANBU was worried about the younger man. He feared that his inexperience might lead him into trouble.

Then he decided that it would be just as easy to run to the village, he could view it as a training exercise. It would take him no more than a couple of hours to get there. An hour and a half tops, if he really pushed himself.

Was he worrying about Iruka too much?

Or was he feeling anxious to see him again? The thought of reuniting with the chuunin was a very pleasant one. He really liked Iruka, liked his company, liked his smile, liked everything about him.

He arrived at the village and immediately headed to the lower class district, in the underbelly of the town, dark, dank and dangerous. But his first thought was that of practicality.

If Iruka had managed to retrieve the scroll they would probably have a three or four day journey to get back to Konoha. They had been surviving on foraged food, which was nutritious enough, but provisions to give them energy and stamina would be useful, especially if Iruka had been wounded in any way. As was standard Konoha practice, Kakashi had been given a small sum of Iwa currency by the Hokage when he embarked upon the mission. His first task was to stock up on food. He visited a grocery store and picked up iron rations - instant noodles, dried meats, sugar, salt and fruit. And a treat. Or two.

Energy. That was what they both needed.

Kakashi then made a point of visiting a general store that was able to sell him a couple of sleeping mats. Both he and Iruka had lost their standard issue bedding during their escape from the village a few days ago and the rocks they had been sleeping on in the cave were hard and unyielding and did not make for a very pleasant night's rest. Similarly, the journey home was likely to be rocky and rough. Kakashi also thought that candles might be a good idea and, even though enough of his chakra had returned so that he _could_ start fires again, matches would always be useful. Finally he purchased some medical supplies to replenish the med-kit Rin had given him. Just simple dressings and bandages.

That had taken no time at all. Now all he had to do was find his comrade.

* * *

><p>A siren rang out for ten seconds, echoing around the streets of the village, the piercing ear-splitting sound bouncing off the tall, tall buildings. At that cue the village fell practically silent. It was obviously a planned drill and one that all Iwa shinobi and civilians obeyed without question. Kemono and his gang clearly had a huge influence on the running of this village and a tremendous amount of power.<p>

The atmosphere suddenly felt odd. As though the town was naked and laid bare. As though there was virtually no chakra left in the town.

There wasn't.

Surrounded by an apparent air of nothingness, the first thing Iruka did was to mask his own chakra as well. It made sense as the obvious thing to do to avoid detection. He hadn't realised how accustomed he was to sensing other shinobi around him. It was almost an subconscious thing – he was aware of the presence of chakra whenever he was in a shinobi town – it was impossible to distinguish individual ninja unless you were in close proximity, but it pervaded the area and was omnipresent.

Kemono guessed, correctly, that the real Iruka would have decided to wait in the office until nightfall, so he headed back in that general direction. He was impressed that the Konoha ninja had managed to deceive him. There weren't many shinobi who got the better of the most powerful ninja in Iwa, even temporarily. Kemono realised that he had been so focussed on the scroll that he had not noticed the clone's depleted chakra. But Kemono was confident that he would capture the rogue soon. And then he would torture him and kill him.

The Leaf chuunin had managed to find a back door to the office building and had broken its lock in order to get through it and make his escape. But an unfamiliar town cloaked in darkness was confusing and disorienting. The alleyways were a criss-cross of winding, twisting passages and the buildings that surrounded them towered above him so high that it was almost impossible to get his bearings, despite his generally good sense of direction.

If he had escaped during the day he would at least have had the sun to help him determine his position and the best exit route. But the daylight would have exposed him to the entire village.

And now the collaborative silence of the Iwa darkness was going to be his downfall.

Not only was Kemono skilled at draining chakra, he was also an expert in chakra detection. He had another ocular technique that he could employ on such occasions. Instead of sparkling, the normally obsidian eyes would radiate a flickering silvery-grey mist.

The mist could detect specific chakra signatures from enemies. It helped if the local shinobi were able to mask their own energies so that the search process was unobstructed, but it didn't really matter. Kemono had known Iruka long enough to have identified and recorded his unique chakra signature and had already stored it within his memory.

The mist wafted through the town, its insidious tendrils seeking its Konoha target, leading Kemono and his gang to Iruka's location. The chuunin was doomed, he really didn't have a chance.

The Iwa ninja strode towards the office building as a pack, with individual shinobi breaking off at Kemono's command to block all the alleyways surrounding the area as he closed in upon his target.

They were getting close.

"Come out, come out, little Leaf chuunin," Kemono hissed, his sinister voice breaking the silence. "I know where you are now. I'm coming to get you."

Iruka had to run. But the town was dark and he was unfamiliar with the district where he had been taken. Kemono could sense him, despite his best efforts to hide his presence.

Every alleyway he turned down he encountered Iwa shinobi and had to turn back.

The net was closing in. He was trapped. There was no escape.

* * *

><p>Having made his essential purchases Kakashi headed towards the bar where he had first found Iruka. He was determined not to interfere unless absolutely necessary, but was increasingly worried about the chuunin's safety. He had noticed that the atmosphere in the village had changed, which only added to his concerns. There seemed to be an unusually low level of chakra presence. For a shinobi town, it was most odd. The ANBU immediately masked his own chakra.<p>

When he arrived at the bar, he didn't enter the room, but positioned himself underneath the bay window where the Iwa gang had been sitting with Iruka when he had first encountered them. The window was open slightly and, if he strained his ears, he could hear the muffled murmurings of their inane conversation.

He sat outside, underneath the window, tuning in to their chattering. It all seemed innocuous enough. Kakashi desperately wanted revenge for what had happened to Rin. He would quite happily have walked into the bar and assassinated them all. He would have slit each of their throats. Or locked the door of the bar and set the whole place on fire. He could have done it too.

But he restrained himself. He wasn't sure about how Iruka was faring and he needed to know that he was safe. As much as Kakashi wanted to avenge the death of his best friend, he needed to be calm, be professional and, above all, he had to ensure that the same fate didn't befall his new comrade.

As he sat beneath the window, he noticed that suddenly the pervading background chakra presence within the town had returned. Some Iwa shinobi hurtled down the road towards the bar. Kakashi immediately cast a genjutsu to hide his presence from them and pricked up his ears to listen in on what was going on.

"Oi, you lot. Kemono's found the real Iruka and busted him. Says he's a spy and we can't trust him. Kemono's going to kill him. D'ya wanna come along?"

Kakashi's heart sank. As he had feared, the worst had happened. He was impressed at how long Iruka had managed to deceive the gang but was now extremely concerned for his safety. That Kemono character was so powerful – everyone knew the old cliché about 'if looks could kill...' - but the Iwa brute really could kill anyone with those deadly sparkling eyes.

If only the chuunin had discussed his plans with the ANBU. They could have come up with something together, worked as a team. Kakashi would have felt completely comfortable working with Iruka, he was clearly competent and trustworthy. But he was trying to take on one of the most powerful ninja in the shinobi world. Alone.

Now Kakashi had to think. As the Iwa gang charged out of the pub, whooping and yelling, the ANBU, clad in his skintight shinobi standard issue gear trailed them silently. Like a cat, sleek and silent, the perfect predator, stalking its prey. They were completely unaware of his presence.

Kakashi realised that the ninja were about to enter an old building in the centre of the town. Rather than follow them in, he decided to scale the outside wall of the structure, using his amazing chakra control to allow his hands and feet to grip to the surface. His hearing was excellent and he was able to follow the sounds of the Earth shinobi as they climbed the stairs towards an attic room in search of the Konoha chuunin they intended to kill. Kakashi noticed that the tiny windows were in typical Iwa style –, too small for a human to enter through – and dusty.

Kakashi climbed the external wall silently until he reached one of the highest floors of the building. He could hear raucous noises coming from the attic room within. When he reached the window he peered inside, trying to detect what was happening. He had to brush away some of the dust from the pane as discreetly as he could, in order to get a glimpse of what was going on inside.

Having climbed the wall using chakra he instantly masked his energy and perched on a ledge beside the window because he needed to remain inconspicuous and had no idea quite how proficient the leader's chakra perception was.

Kakashi's heart sank as he saw the slumped figure of Iruka drooping against the far wall. The chuunin was clearly exhausted and had had his chakra partially drained by Kemono. He wasn't tied up or bound in any way. He was conscious and appeared defiant, although Kakashi could tell by his demeanour that he was probably very scared.

On the other side of the room the gang were laughing and joking together. Each were in the process of selecting weapons. Kemono stood apart from his team, holding what appeared to be a bunch of discs in his hand, looking on as they picked up a selection of kunai and shuriken. He then beckoned them all over and each drew a numbered disc from his hand. They were clearly determining the order in which they were to attempt to kill Iruka.

This was potentially going to be torture. Long, protracted and incredibly painful.

Eventually the louts had determined the order of play. They lined up behind a mark scratched onto the floor. It was clear to Kakashi that each of the ninja would throw a weapon at their Konoha target. Iruka was obviously alert enough to try and avoid the missiles but, with his chakra depleted, his movements were likely to be slow. If he wasn't hit with a lethal blow, he might well be injured and the next ninja would be able to take their chances at killing their enemy. This could take some time.

The first Iwa ninja to take aim was Kudagitsune. He was one of the ninja Iruka had taken out before he was captured by the team. As the other shinobi jeered and goaded Iruka, he stepped up to his mark and took aim. He hurled a kunai straight at the chuunin's head. Iruka's movements were sluggish, but he managed to duck and avoid the knife making contact with him. It hit the wall behind him and clattered to the floor, landing with a metallic thud.

The other ninja punched Kudagitsune and laughed at him, berating him for missing what appeared to be an easy target.

Another shinobi stepped up to the mark. It was Okojo. He has a nasty sneer on his face.

Shoom! Another kunai was thrown. Iruka threw himself to the floor with all his might, landing with a crash and narrowly avoiding getting hit once again. One of the Iwa shinobi walked to him and picked him up roughly so that he was back on his knees and awaiting the next attempt on his life.

Kakashi observed events through the dusty window. He needed to find a way to rescue the chuunin. But the windows were far too small to climb through and there was no way he could enter the building without attracting attention, immediately putting himself into grave danger as soon as Kemono detected his presence. Kemono was a slow mover, but he had never needed to learn rapid techniques – he had a powerful bloodline limit and could disable or even kill his enemies from long range. A formidable foe.

Kakashi assessed the situation. Iruka was doing really well, but was very obviously exhausted. His movements were sluggish and reflected his desperation to avoid being killed by the plethora of objects being hurled at him. He was looking dishevelled and desperate. His hair had come loose from his ponytail. Kakashi was fairly sure that he wasn't going be able to avoid the missiles for much longer.

Another couple of Iwa shinobi took aim at Iruka. He avoided their shuriken – just. At the rate they were going, unless any of them could strike a killer blow, his death would be protracted and painful. The Iwa ninja were sadists, it was as though they were enjoying a protracted torture process.

The ANBU looked around the room through the dirty window. Then he noticed a skylight on the roof. It would be just big enough for him to get through. If he was quick, he might be able to avoid Kemono's deadly eyes. If only he had more chakra reserves, this rescue would be so much easier.

As Nezu stepped up to the mark, wielding a kunai, Kakashi climbed silently to the roof of the building and peered through the skylight.

As the kunai was thrown, Kakashi could tell that Iruka wasn't going to be able to avoid this one. He was doing his best but was just too tired by now. The ANBU had to act immediately.

He smashed through the glass of the skylight in the ceiling, then teleported immediately to Iruka's location, materialising directly in front of the chuunin.

As he appeared in front of Iruka, Nezu's kunai hit his shoulder blade and he winced with the pain. The ANBU had taken another knife in the back for his comrade.

Kakashi reached around and removed the kunai as quickly as he could, hoping amongst hope that it wasn't poisoned. Then he turned swiftly to assess how Kemono, looking on from the sidelines, was reacting.

The Iwa leader's eyes were already sparkling and Kakashi could feel that his precious chakra was beginning to drain away…


	9. Oppressor's Wrong, Proud Man's Contumely

Hello again. Thank you so much for all the reviews/alerts/faves etc. They are very much appreciated. This whole thing is unbeta'd so it's great to get feedback. Here's another chapter, usual disclaimers apply. I need to warn you about some bad language and some nudity.

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><p>Chapter 9 - The Oppressor's Wrong, the Proud Man's Contumely<p>

"Iruka. You have to put your arms around my neck. Now!"

Iruka glanced up. His eyes were glazed and he was so tired that he barely recognised Kakashi. The chuunin's movements were slow and sluggish. He was exhausted.

Kakashi grabbed Iruka by the waist and held him tight. He had to act quickly.

He glanced at Kemono again, needing constantly to assess the situation. Yes, the Iwa leader's eyes were already sparkling and he had raised his arms in the Konoha pair's direction. Kakashi knew that Iruka had already been severely weakened and the ANBU could feel his own energy starting to drain. Much as he wanted to, there was no realistic way of taking the brute on right now _and_ protecting Iruka. Not with a bunch of nasty and zealous Iwa shinobi ready to fight them as well. If only Iruka had waited a couple more days, their chakra reserves would have been so much stronger. Still, the chuunin's safety was his top priority and Kakashi had just enough power inside him to do what he needed to do.

He teleported - vanishing instantly and whizzing both himself and his comrade outside the building and onto the street below. He landed on the hard concrete, staggering slightly as he broke his fall, but he managed to maintain his balance whilst shielding Iruka, who was clinging tightly to him. Kemono had already taken much needed chakra from his still depleted reserves and, even though it wasn't the ANBU's most graceful of teleportations, it had worked. His first concern was for that of his comrade.

"Are you okay, Iruka?"

The chuunin looked a little dazed. Kakashi wasn't sure if it was because his chakra had been drained again or because this was the first time he had ever teleported. It was a disorienting experience. Kakashi's eye arched into a gentle smile as the chuunin blinked twice then nodded, his wide brown eyes expressing gratitude for the ANBU's intervention.

Kakashi was improvising, but he was highly skilled at understanding situations quickly, evaluating possible options and following the best course of action. He always had good judgement - even in the most testing of times. The next stage of his impromptu rescue plan was to let the Iwa ninja know what he had done.

He yelled from the street below. Immediately the Iwa gang leapt through the broken skylight window and onto the roof. They were several stories high. They all craned their necks as they observed the Konoha shinobi at ground level, Iruka cradled in Kakashi's arms.

The ANBU had just enough chakra for one final teleportation. He wanted quite literally to disappear in front of their eyes. And he absolutely needed them to observe this. If he and Iruka had simply run off, the Iwa would have been able to pursue and neither Leaf shinobi would have had the chakra energy to take on a mob. Kakashi wanted to confuse his enemies. He pulled upon all his remaining strength and…

…the pair vanished in a puff of smoke, Kakashi listening to the fading howls of irritation and fury as they disappeared from view.

They re-emerged outside the Iwa town, close to the path that would get them back to their coastal hideout. The ANBU ran, carrying Iruka in his arms. As soon as Kakashi was confident that they were far enough away from the enemy, he stopped and laid the chuunin gently on the ground. Iruka looked up at him, his expression a combination of gratitude and frustration.

"Baka," Kakashi spoke softly. "Why didn't you ask for my help?"

Iruka pouted. "I needed to resolve things on my own."

"Didn't you realise there was no way they would trust you after I had come for you?"

"I had to try. I had them convinced for a while but eventually they realised I was bullshitting them."

"You're way too naïve," the ANBU replied, perhaps a little too bluntly.

This irritated Iruka. He started to raise his voice. "Don't you get it? My name is mud in Konoha. I had to do _something_."

"But they almost killed you," Kakashi noted, sounding entirely reasonable.

"So what? You didn't assassinate me, although you should have. I'm dead as far as Konoha is concerned anyway. What difference would it have made?"

"Well, _I_ would care for one thing." Kakashi's voice was very even; he was determined to show no hint of emotion. His visible eye was locked onto the chuunin's crestfallen face. "I believe that you're innocent," he continued, "And I'm in just as much trouble as you are precisely because I didn't kill you."

"I didn't ask for your help," Iruka responded sullenly.

"I would have given it willingly."

"But you would just have been hell bent on getting revenge for what happened to Rin."

That was unfair. So unfair it hurt.

Kakashi scowled. Now he was pissed. Of course he had wanted to avenge Rin. He had _desperately_ wanted to avenge Rin. He'd have ripped the Iwa gang limb from limb, burned them alive, castrated each and every one of them, if he had had the chance. But he _hadn't _taken any action against them precisely because he was so worried about Iruka and had resolved not to do anything until he knew that the chuunin was safe. Getting his comrade out was his top priority.

Iruka realised immediately that he'd gone too far. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "That wasn't fair."

He paused and sighed. Kakashi recognised immediately that the chuunin wasn't afraid to back off, was always willing to apologise, if he felt he was in the wrong. It was a trait that Kakashi appreciated. He nodded, a baleful look in his visible eye.

"Thank you for getting me out of there," Iruka whispered softly, looking downwards, his eyes directed at the ground.

"Un," Kakashi grunted in acknowledgment. He recognised that Iruka hadn't meant to hurt his feelings and had spoken out of turn in the heat of the moment. They sat on the ground, resting for a few moments, just observing each other, both unsure what to say. The ANBU noticed that the chuunin was avoiding his gaze and appeared to be feeling slightly uncomfortable, as though there was something he needed to talk about.

Iruka suddenly took a deep breath and confessed, "I kind of stole your ANBU mask, then broke it and lost it," he blurted out, glancing up sheepishly.

"It's okay," Kakashi replied, allowing himself a small grin underneath his facemask, successfully managing to stifle a snigger. He genuinely couldn't have cared less about the mask. His purpose had been to find and rescue his comrade and he had achieved that. And the chuunin looked so damned cute when he was feeling guilty.

Iruka bowed his head again. He had a frown upon his face which made the scar that ran across his nose wrinkle slightly. Kakashi thought it was adorable. The chuunin was feeling frustrated that he'd failed, elated that Kakashi had cared enough to come and find him, guilty that he'd taken his property and then briefly upset him in an outburst of feeling and, well, he was just plain exhausted.

"Iruka. Look at me." The younger man raised his face to meet the ANBU's eyes once more, his long, dark lashes framing his mournful eyes and his lips forming a straight line across his face, running parallel with his scar. Kakashi continued, "We _both_ have to resolve this. We're both in trouble. Our best chance of defeating those ninja and retrieving the scroll is to conserve our chakra and devise a plan where we can work together. Yes, it will take time, but we need to be at full strength and we have to determine a good strategy."

Iruka frowned again and sighed. He felt his confidence waning. It was very clear to him that he was not nearly as skilled as his Leaf comrade and he wondered how he could possibly contribute. Kakashi continued, "If we act as a team we can recover the scroll, return to Konoha and clear our names. We have to work together."

The ANBU realised that the stubborn chuunin had acted with the very best of intentions – and admired his determination and tenacity - but right now their best hope to get back home was to team up. They would need patience as they allowed their chakra reserves to recover once more and they would need to devise a foolproof plan, but they could and they would work best together.

Iruka nodded. His grinned shyly, his expression changing from one of frustration to that of resolve. Kakashi was right.

"Okay." Kakashi's eye arched into a smile. "Now put this rucksack on your back, then climb onto my back. Put your arms around my neck and I'll take you back to the cave."

* * *

><p>The journey back to the shore was a clear run and, despite Kakashi cautiously checking behind him at regular intervals, there was no indication that they were being followed. The ANBU's plan to confuse the Iwa ninja had worked. They did not know which direction to pursue and Kakashi had teleported far enough away from their village that they couldn't even send trackers to trace them. They would have had no idea where the Konoha pair were located. This secret place had worked for Team Minato during the war and was working for Kakashi now.<p>

As they arrived back at the seashore, the weather was beginning to turn. Dark clouds were rolling in the sky from across the sea and the air felt humid and damp, as though there was a storm on the way. The atmosphere was heavy. Kakashi was pleased that they had reached the safety of the cave before the bad weather hit.

As soon as they had arrived, the very first thing Iruka did was to check the fresh wound on Kakashi's other shoulder blade. It had been pierced by a kunai delivered by Nezu and Iruka was desperately worried that the ANBU had received another dose of poison.

"Don't fuss, it feels okay," Kakashi said, stoic as ever.

"But I'm worried about it," Iruka insisted. "It looks red and it's been bleeding quite badly. I think I should apply some more of that poultice I made up."

"No, I'm sure it's fine. Please just dress it."

Iruka frowned and shook his head. He walked over to the area of the cave where he had stored the crushed leaf mixture but was surprised to find that there was none left. He was sure he'd made up a large batch.

"Did you finish off the poultice while I was gone?" he enquired gently of Kakashi.

"Er, yeah." The ANBU wasn't sure whether he should mention that although he had finished off the mixture he had actually not used it on himself but on a wandering stray puppy. Iruka seemed a little bit grumpy so he decided to keep quiet.

Iruka sighed. He was determined to dress Kakashi's wound properly. "I need to get up to the cliff top to fetch some more leaves then."

"No, don't. There's a storm coming. I'll be okay."

"No, Kakashi," Iruka insisted. "You've been injured and I don't want you to have to go through another night like you did when we first arrived here. You had some really crazy dreams."

Kakashi smiled wistfully to himself as he remembered the horrible feverish dream. "But I really am fine, Iruka. And you must be exhausted."

"It's no trouble. No trouble at all."

"Seriously, the weather is about to get awful. Please, let it be. I'm not sick. You're tired and you've just suffered another chakra drain. If the wound looks bad in the morning, you can help me deal with it then."

Iruka shook his head and held up his palms to assert his resolve. He had an air of authority that somehow reminded the ANBU of a teacher. "No Kakashi. I feel much better now – I had a chance to rest while you brought me back here. I don't care about the storm. I will go and fetch more plants."

It was Kakashi's turn to sigh. This chuunin was incredibly stubborn. Too bloody stubborn. Okay, if Iruka was exhausted but determined to collect medicinal plants in a raging storm, he wasn't going to argue with him any more.

Iruka stomped out of the cave purposefully. Kakashi had rescued him and taken another knife in the back for him. He wanted to help him. He _needed _to help him.

As he strode across the beach, past the waterfall and its freshwater pool and to the cliff path he could hear the distant rumble of thunder. The air was clammy and sultry and he could feel the impending storm approaching. His skin prickled with the humidity. He was feeling incredibly tired, but had had a chance to rest as Kakashi had carried him on his back for a couple of hours as they made their return to the cave.

As Iruka reached the very top of the cliff, a spike of lightning forked across the sky, illuminating - for just a fraction of a second - the surrounding area for miles around.

Mere seconds later, the rousing boom of thunder crashed around him.

Then it seemed as though the storm paused for a moment. He could hear insects chirruping incessantly, bats screeching, the local creatures anticipating what was to come. The humidity was rising to unbearable levels of stickiness, Iruka's skin was tingling and he was beginning to sweat.

Lightning, check.

Thunder, check.

And then the sky opened in a deluge of rain. A downpour of water cascading from the darkest, heaviest and blackest of clouds. The wind picked up and whipped around him flaying him, lashing and biting at his skin. His clothes were soaked within seconds.

The chuunin nearly turned back. But he was determined to help Kakashi. And he was incredibly persistent. He was soaked through already. He really couldn't get any wetter. So he persevered with his task and went to search for those medicinal plants. Fortunately he knew exactly where they were located, so he gathered them quickly and immediately returned to the cave.

The route back was treacherous. The path was slippery and Iruka almost lost his footing several times. As he arrived at the cavern, he noticed that Kakashi had lit a couple of candles. The ANBU was lying on the rocky ledge at the back of the cave, on top of his new bedroll, reading his Icha Icha Paradise book by candlelight, looking relaxed and cheerful.

Candles? Where the hell had he managed to get hold of candles?

"I can't start a fire in here, there isn't enough ventilation," he explained and his eye arched into a smile as he welcomed Iruka back to the cave.

The chuunin shivered. His clothes were saturated and he was beginning to feel really cold. His ponytail hung low at the nape of his neck, with loose hairs that had come free from their hair tie matted to his face and throat. He looked exhausted, utterly dishevelled and thoroughly miserable.

He reached for the rock that he had previously made his poultices on and stubbornly ground the saturated leaves together. He then stomped up to Kakashi, who shifted to allow him access to his back. Iruka turned the ANBU around to inspect the wound he had received earlier that day. Despite his frustration and irritation, the chuunin was still very gentle as he looked over the injury. It looked okay. It was red and a bit sore, but it had stopped bleeding and was already beginning to heal.

Iruka huffed quietly and applied the poultice anyway before dressing the wound. Kakashi smiled to himself. The way the chuunin cared about him and his injury was, well, lovely.

"Baka," the ANBU said softly, in an endearing tone, as he turned his head to acknowledge how much he appreciated Iruka caring for him.

The chuunin glared at him. He was about to flare up and could feel his temper rising. He huffed as he placed a clean dressing on the wound.

Kakashi grinned as he continued, "I told you I was okay. That kunai wasn't poisoned."

Iruka frowned. He had felt a great responsibility to Kakashi, such a responsibility that he hadn't really listened to the ANBU, he was so determined to help.

He was also freezing in his dripping clothes and was beginning to shiver. Kakashi observed him. He knew exactly what to suggest but was almost certain that the chuunin wouldn't like it.

"Take off your clothes, Iruka."

"Fuck off."

Kakashi exhaled quietly. That was pretty much the response he expected.

"I got you a new bedroll in town before I found out where you were in that office building. Should be more comfortable than these damn rocks, ne?"

Iruka remained silent.

Kakashi continued, "Look, you need to get out of those wet clothes. If you don't you'll get a fever. Bring your mat over here, take off your clothes and lie beside me. My body heat will keep you warm."

Iruka's heart sank. He felt angry with himself. Irritated that he hadn't listened to Kakashi and had gone out in the rain when he didn't really need to and was now horribly embarrassed that he was going to have to sleep beside him, naked at that, in order to keep warm.

Kakashi was amused. But he could tell that Iruka was uncomfortable so decided not to tease him any further.

"Look, if it makes you feel any better, I'll take my clothes off too. Then we'll lay my clothes on top of us and share them as a makeshift cover, and it will help keep us both warm. The last thing we need right now is for you to get sick."

Iruka exhaled slowly and loudly. He really didn't want to do this, but it wasn't because he was ashamed or embarrassed about lying naked next to Kakashi; he didn't really feel that that would be a problem at all - he knew survival skills as well as any Konoha shinobi and realised that it was the most practical thing to do. He was mortified because he felt that he had been an idiot and was grateful that Kakashi cared so much about him. That the ANBU had rescued him from death at the hands of the Iwa ninja for a second time, had brought him back to the cave, even bought him a brand new bedroll and was willing to help Iruka stay warm. They'd had loads of arguments that day and yet Kakashi had only teased him a little bit. He really liked the ANBU but he just felt awkward.

Kakashi would have been enjoying himself, he was finding the chuunin's response highly amusing, but he was sensitive enough to realise that Iruka was suddenly feeling terribly self-conscious, although he wasn't sure why.

"Okay" Iruka huffed. "But I don't want you to look. "

Iruka blew out the candles and the cave was plunged into darkness. Then he removed his soaking clothes, letting them fall with a plop into a sloppy pile on the cavern floor.

Kakashi had to suppress a laugh. Iruka hadn't had a problem swimming naked in the sea together a few days ago. Were things different between them now?

"This isn't really the time to be coy," he chuckled.

"Shut up." Iruka snapped.

Kakashi wanted to laugh so badly that it hurt his stomach muscles.

He also wanted to look.

Iruka didn't know that he could see perfectly in the dark with his sharingan. Since Iruka had hugged him that day on the beach, he was aware that he was becoming increasingly fascinated by the chuunin. He had been genuinely worried for his safety when he had bolted off back to the Iwa village.

He liked Iruka very much and found him to be very attractive. He was trying very hard to suppress the feelings he was beginning to develop towards his Konoha comrade.

Just one peek wouldn't hurt.

Would it?

_No! _That would be unfair.

Would it?

The storm raged outside, the wind howling and screeching, and both shinobi were grateful for the foliage at the entrance to the cave which helped prevent a freezing draught from swirling round the cavernous space.

Kakashi removed his clothes, shivering as he did so. The cave was really quite cold.

"Where are you?" the chuunin asked.

"Here. Follow the sound of my voice," came the reply. "I can hear you approaching me, I'm holding out my hands."

Their fingertips brushed as Iruka found where Kakashi was located. The ANBU gently grasped his wrist and guided the chuunin towards him.

"Shit, Iruka, you're freezing!" he exclaimed as hand made contact with hand. He opened his arms and pulled Iruka towards his pale, lithe body. The chuunin climbed onto the bedroll and snuggled up beside Kakashi. The ANBU carefully covered them both with his clothing then wrapped his arms around his comrade. Iruka shivered slightly as he fell into Kakashi's warm embrace.

He liked the feeling of the ANBU holding him. Kakashi's body was warm and welcoming. He held Iruka with a gentleness that the chuunin had really not expected. Iruka snuggled up so that he was closer to his comrade, his head resting on Kakashi's shoulder.

Moments later, Iruka was asleep. He had had a tough day and was exhausted. He trusted Kakashi completely, any awkward feelings from earlier that evening evaporated as he huddled close to his companion and let himself relax, savouring the warmth of the ANBU's body.

Kakashi lay awake as his mind mulled over the events of the day. Although he had wanted to defeat the Iwa shinobi and avenge Rin's death, the most important thing to him was that Iruka was alive. Sure, the chuunin had been naïve in going back alone but he had also proved to the ANBU just how loyal and dedicated he was. Kakashi admired those traits. He also found the chuunin to be incredibly funny. He loved his stubbornness, borne out of his natural empathy and compassion; it was endearing.

His thoughts turned to Rin. That fateful day, the day on which Obito had died, had shaped Kakashi's personality more than he could ever had imagined. Kakashi had initially been prepared potentially to sacrifice Rin's life in order to complete his assigned mission. How foolish had he been? Obito had taught him a valuable lesson: that his comrades were key to the success of any mission. Without them, there was no mission. It was a lesson that he could have learned from his own father if he hadn't been so ashamed of him for apparently disgracing himself. Kakashi would never be able to express his gratitude to his friend for showing him what life's priorities were really about. And for giving him Rin for a few more years.

As he lay beside Iruka sleeping soundly in his arms, Kakashi wondered what Rin would have made of the day's events. She would have been proud of him for rescuing Iruka. The ANBU had wanted to avenge her death, but it wasn't right to do so potentially at the cost of another's life and he knew that she would never have wanted that. He was aware that she probably wouldn't have wanted him to risk his own life to take revenge anyway. She knew all too well the hardships of shinobi life, that vengeance led to vengeance, which only led to hatred and further heartache for all involved. She had it in her power to forgive. Kakashi wasn't sure that he did. His best friend had been taken from him in the most hideous way. And, if nothing else, he needed to make sure the same fate didn't befall any other Konoha shinobi.

Rin would have understood his attraction to Iruka. Kakashi was certain that they would have got along well together. They both had a kindness and compassion that was a fundamental part of their personalities, a natural empathy with people and a positive attitude. Rin would have teased Kakashi good-naturedly about how handsome Iruka was, and would almost certainly have set him up on dates with the chuunin.

Kami, he missed her so much.

His thoughts then turned to the chuunin sleeping in his arms. He was relieved that he had found him in time to get him out of that Iwa town. The most important lesson that Obito's death had taught Kakashi was that it was his duty to defend his comrades. More than anything, he wanted to protect Iruka.

He waited until he could hear the soft sounds of Iruka's deep sleep; his breathing pattern was something that the ANBU had grown used to over the past few nights. He slept soundly, occasionally sighing as he exhaled, quiet, gentle breaths.

When he was certain that the chuunin was asleep Kakashi buried his face into the soft chestnut hair and inhaled deeply. The scent was amazing. He held Iruka closer to him, relishing the feel of skin against skin.

He trailed his hand along Iruka's back, his calloused fingertips brushing his soft, flawless skin, then let it come to rest on the back of his head before gently stroking his hair.

As the sounds of the storm outside whirled in a frenzy, the wind howling, the rain lashing, the thunder bellowing, the angry waves crashing onto the shore, Kakashi kissed the chuunin's forehead, a tender kiss that was filled with affection, before he too drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

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><p>AN: I will try to update this story when I can, but my life has been a bit of a maelstrom for well over a year now and things have recently taken a turn for the worse again. I will have to spend the next few weeks/months visiting a hospital every day. I have no idea whether the next update will be in days, weeks or months. I'll do my damndest to update just as soon as I can, because I really love writing this, but I just don't know right now. I hope you'll bear with me. X-T


	10. Tis a Consummation

Hello. First of all, thank you so very much for the reviews and the kind messages. They were really appreciated. I have managed to write another chapter. This is the scene that I first had in my head when I started writing this story. I had no idea that I would end up writing 45000 words before I reached it!

ETA: I have cut this chapter down because it originally contained rather a lot of detailed smut. I have retained the full chapter at my LJ account. I can't put a link in here, but there is one in my profile. Please click that to read this chapter in full. That chapter then links to chapter 11 which is also smutty. Then it links back to this story at FF. Sorry.

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><p>Chapter 10 - 'Tis a Consummation<p>

When Kakashi awoke, Iruka was still sleeping peacefully in his arms. He had turned over in his sleep and was now facing away from the ANBU but Kakashi was still holding him close to his body, his arm like a wooden beam, strong and unyielding, unwilling to let him go.

They had been asleep all night and most of the morning; both shinobi were so tired after the previous day's events that not even the raging storm outside could disturb their slumber. The dappled light, filtering through the foliage at the entrance to the cavern, was clear and bright.

Kakashi was unsurprised to find that he had awoken to find himself achingly hard. He had spent the entire night embracing Iruka, a man to whom he was very attracted. What he wanted to do was caress Iruka's tender flesh, turn him around and kiss him gently on the lips, then explore his beautiful body and make love to him for hours.

But he didn't know how Iruka felt about him. He didn't want to upset or offend the chuunin. He didn't even know if he was gay or straight, didn't really know anything about him. Tempted as he was by the sleeping chuunin he was holding in his arms, he decided that the best thing to do would be to take a cold bath instead.

Calm down.

Cool off.

He slipped his arm from underneath the chuunin, gently laying his head onto the bedroll and climbed down from the rocky ledge they had been resting on.

As he passed by the sleeping shinobi, he couldn't help noticing that Iruka was also aroused. That wasn't a surprise. He was eighteen.

Despite himself, Kakashi paused briefly to admire how beautiful that arousal was. Then he directed his gaze to admire the sleeping chuunin's face for a few moments: his long eyelashes forming perfect curves that defined his closed eyes, his mouth just very slightly open, the adorable scar that bisected his nose, his soft brown hair splayed across the bed mat, free and flowing, untamed by his hair tie.

There was no doubt about it, Iruka was very, very lovely.

Kakashi walked outside and made his way to the freshwater pool at the foot of the waterfall. He remembered it from his war days – it was the perfect size for a bath. He washed himself quickly under the waterfall that splashed down the cliff face, feeding the deep, clear rock pool, then plunged in. The water was quite cool and a shiver ran down his spine as it made contact with his skin. Still, the sun was bright in the cloudless sky and after a few moments he had warmed up sufficiently to sit back in the water relaxing as he observed the beach and gently undulating sea, with the waves lapping at the shore.

A while later, Kakashi heard a sound and turned his head to see a naked Iruka emerge from the cave, padding slowly across the beach and rubbing his bleary eyes as he did so. He was carrying the med-kit and the sponge and walked towards Kakashi. He was clearly intending to examine his wounds.

So responsible, so caring.

So damned hot.

Kakashi checked himself. He had decided to bathe so that he could chill out and not think about how much he desired Iruka. The chuunin seemed to be unaware of Kakashi's attraction to him or, if he did recognise it, he was doing an amazing job of not letting on, and the ANBU didn't want to spoil a perfectly good burgeoning friendship by letting these new feelings for Iruka – which might not be reciprocated - out into the open.

They nodded a greeting, and Iruka gestured with the med kit that he wanted to look at Kakashi's wounds. The ANBU sat upright in the water then leaned forward slightly to let Iruka examine his back. The chuunin inspected both wounds – the one that had been poisoned days ago and the new one. He was very precise and extremely careful as he checked both injuries.

Kakashi was beginning to feel just a little uneasy. He loved it when Iruka examined him, the way the chuunin's fingertips pushed gently at his back, soft, tentative touches all aimed towards assessing how he was healing whilst being so very careful not to hurt him.

Giving a brief grunt of satisfaction that Kakashi was indeed recovering well, Iruka then did something that surprised his companion. He dipped the sponge into the pool, squeezed it to release excess water then gently started washing the ANBU's back. The sponge was coarse but the contact it made with his skin was so gentle that it made Kakashi's abdomen turn cartwheels. So much for his honourable intentions to dampen that morning erection.

The ANBU glanced downwards and could see the chuunin's reflection in the water, distorted slightly by the small ripples, but his expression was clear. It looked dreamy. Kakashi didn't know what he was thinking.

Iruka wasn't really sure himself why he was doing this. He had intended simply to check and dress the assassin's wound and had been slightly surprised to find him bathing.

Kakashi could feel his heartbeat beginning to quicken as Iruka continued sponging his back with his delicate, considerate touch – it felt wonderful.

The chuunin decided that as he had started washing Kakashi, he might as well continue. He liked caring for the ANBU and felt that this was his way of giving something back. He moved the sponge over the top of Kakashi's shoulder and started rubbing it around his neck and over his chest in a slow circular movement. Always careful, always gentle.

Kakashi took a sharp intake of breath. He was doing everything he possibly could to suppress the feelings of desire that were beginning to course through his body but, kami, he was enjoying it so much.

As Iruka reached over Kakashi's shoulder and started washing further down his chest, the prickly sponge briefly – and unintentionally - brushed across one of the ANBU's nipples, instantly sending pools of pleasure straight to his groin. His pulse was racing, within seconds he was fully hard again and there was no way of disguising it.

He gave in.

As much as he had genuinely tried to suppress his desire, the delicious sensations caused by Iruka's soft caresses were becoming too much for Kakashi to bear. He closed his eyes and arched his back, tilting his head backwards as he savoured the chuunin's touch.

But at the very moment that Kakashi's head fell back, Iruka leaned forward to reach further across his body with the sponge.

Their cheeks brushed.

It felt as though a spark of electricity passed between them. A brief quiver, a slight shock, tantalisingly beautiful contact.

Kakashi couldn't stand it any longer. The instant he experienced the wonderful warmth of Iruka's caramel skin brushing against his face he knew that he could hold off no longer. He took a chance and did the thing that he'd been wanting to do for days and had been so honourably, so desperately, trying to avoid. He turned his head quickly and captured Iruka's lips in a kiss.

Iruka paused as their lips met. He drew his head back just a few millimetres. Time seemed to slow down as his mind processed what had just happened.

Kakashi had kissed him.

The Black Ops assassin had kissed him.

The ANBU _who had been assigned to kill him_ had kissed him.

And then he kissed Kakashi back.

The ANBU's eyes widened and his heartbeat quickened as he realised that the impossible had happened and that Iruka was responding to him. He sat up in the water immediately, twisting around so that he could get better access to that soft, warm mouth and he cupped the chuunin's face in his hands.

Their lips crashed together as those tentative initial touches gave way to a hungry kiss that was filled with passion and desire.

Emboldened by Iruka's response, Kakashi tentatively flicked out his tongue to taste at the chuunin's soft full lips and was even more surprised when the younger man opened his mouth to welcome Kakashi inside. Their tongues intertwined, gliding, tasting, exploring.

Iruka's heart was pounding and yet he felt as though he was in a daze. He couldn't believe what had just happened. Kakashi, the elite assassin, was kissing him with a passion that he had could never had imagined. Sure, Iruka wasn't totally inexperienced, but none of his previous encounters had been anything like this. This was so fiery, so intense, so unbelievably beautiful. So unexpected. And yet… he could feel himself becoming aroused.

He wanted more.

Kakashi wanted more too. He wanted to hold Iruka in his arms and experience again that gorgeous embrace, that wonderful feeling of skin against skin that he had enjoyed so much the previous night.

He wanted to possess the chuunin entirely. He couldn't control himself any longer. He gripped Iruka's shoulders then pulled him into the rock pool with a mighty splash.

Iruka twisted as he fell in and gasped as the cold water made contact with his skin. But he didn't have time to protest before Kakashi had pulled the chuunin towards him, pressing his body against him, wrapping his strong arms around him. He wound his elegant fingers into Iruka's hair and stroked the long chestnut strands as he leaned forward to claim another kiss.

Their tongues battled, their bodies writhed together, thrashing in the water as they held each other in a fierce embrace.

Iruka shivered. The water was cold. Kakashi kissed the chuunin briefly on the lips and pulled himself out of the pool. He was thoroughly self-assured and the expression in his eyes utterly sincere as he offered his hand to Iruka to pull him out of the water. The instant the chuunin emerged from the pool, sparkling drops of water dripping from his smooth skin, Kakashi reached underneath his knees, put an arm around his shoulder and picked him up, with the intention of carrying him to the cave.

Iruka's eyes were shining as he looked up at Kakashi and began to protest. "I can walk there, you know," he giggled.

Kakashi's voice was very low as he gently but firmly pressed his lips against Iruka's soft mouth to silence him. "I know. But I want to take you there," he murmured in a husky voice that was drenched with desire. He didn't want to miss even a single second's contact between their bodies. When they reached the cavern, Kakashi laid Iruka down on the bedroll and settled beside him.

Each gazed at the other, observing each other's expression as their minds tried to take in what had happened. They were both incredibly turned on and their pulses were racing, but Kakashi knew he had to slow things down, just for a moment, so that he could be certain that Iruka wanted this.

"Are you okay with this?" Kakashi whispered gently. He had a feeling that the chuunin was probably not that experienced and guessed, correctly, that Iruka had never been with a man before.

Iruka looked up at the ANBU, observing his concerned expression. This was very new to him but he had always believed in loving the person and not their gender. He wasn't in love with Kakashi but he did feel an attraction to him. What they were doing felt right. It felt natural.

It felt good.

"Yes." The chuunin's words were heartfelt as he gazed at Kakashi with his wide, expressive eyes.

As Iruka looked up at the ANBU he realised that this was the first time he had seen Kakashi smile with his mouth. It was lovely. It was surprisingly shy, something that had been hidden from the world for so very long, as though Kakashi didn't really know how to smile. Beneath that aloof exterior Iruka could now very clearly see a tenderness and a kindness to the ANBU's personality, something that he was finally allowing himself to reveal to his companion.

He could also see desire.

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><p>CUT SCENE PLEASE VISIT LJ FOR FULL VERSION<p>

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><p>They just held each other. Iruka lay in Kakashi's arms, revelling in the warmth of his body, basking in the afterglow of their passion.<p>

Iruka's mind was whirring as he tried to take in what had just happened. Eventually curiosity got the better of him. He just had to ask.

"Why?" he whispered.

"Well, you were leading me on, seducing me as I was bathing…"

Iruka sat bolt upright and protested immediately, "Of course I wasn't! How could you think that?" He could feel his face beginning to turn a remarkable shade of scarlet, heat rising up inside him.

Kakashi's eyes curved into a smile. "You're really cute when you get flustered," he declared.

"I bloody well am not cute," Iruka retorted vehemently.

Kakashi just couldn't continue. He pulled the chuunin towards him and gave him a hug that was filled with genuine affection. "I'm only teasing you. You take the bait really quickly."

He could feel the tension in Iruka's body begin to subside. He gazed at the chuunin and whispered in his smooth voice, "I don't really know why it happened. But I like you very much, Iruka, and it just felt right."

He paused briefly, observing the chuunin's expression. Iruka's irritation melted away and he could see nothing but warmth in the older man's eyes.

"Are you okay? You enjoyed it, ne?" he asked softly.

"Yeah, it was amazing."

The ANBU brushed the chuunin's chestnut hair away from his face then pulled Iruka towards him, squeezing him tightly. Pressing a warm kiss upon his soft, full lips, Kakashi murmured, "Good."

As they lay together, holding each other close, Kakashi came to realise slowly that he was feeling something that he hadn't felt in weeks.

Calm.


	11. The Pale Cast Of Thought

Hello again. Thank you very much for the reviews/faves/alerts etc. Thanks also to the anon reviewers who I can't reply to - I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know your thoughts. Life continues to be crazy manic, but will hopefully be calming down soon to mere manic. While I was researching foraging for this story, I became really interested in learning more about it so, in a 'life imitates fic' scenario, I have booked myself to go on a foraging course. ^_^ Enough rambling, here's another chapter. Warnings for bad language and more smut. Thanks again for all the encouraging messages.

ETA: Again, I've had to cut the naughtier bits of this chapter. You can find the full unadulterated smut at my LJ account (there's a link in my profile). Sorry, it's a bit of a faff.

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><p>Chapter 11 The Pale Cast Of Thought<p>

"Noodles! You've got noodles?"

Kakashi smiled at the chuunin's enthusiasm. "Yeah, only instant, I'm afraid. I picked some supplies up in the Iwa town just before I found you. Figured it would be useful to have some proper food, as we've been foraging for a few days now."

Iruka nodded his agreement, trying not to appear _too _eager. Did he dare admit that noodles were his most favourite food in the world?

"Not that your foraged food hasn't been delicious," Kakashi added hastily. "But we need as much energy as we can get if we are going to retrieve that scroll and get back home."

The day was slipping by and it was getting late in the afternoon. Both ninja had spent most of the day snoozing in each other's arms, recovering from the previous day's events and their own physical – and thoroughly pleasurable - exertions earlier that morning.

They hadn't bothered to get dressed and sat down just outside the entrance to the cave. Iruka watched as Kakashi started the fire using a controlled fireball jutsu then boiled up some water to make them dandelion tea. Kakashi steeped the leaves in the hot water and they sat around the fire, resting on small boulders on the sandy beach, soaking up the warm afternoon rays of the sun, and talking as they sipped at their tea from their tin cans. Kakashi was very keen to observe Iruka. Although he didn't show it, he was feeling elated inside; it was beyond all hope that Iruka had responded to him with such a fiery passion, but he was slightly fearful that the chuunin had got carried away in the moment. He still wasn't entirely sure how Iruka felt about him. And he needed to know.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I went on a crazy mission on my own, tried to retrieve the scroll, got captured, got drained of my chakra, served as human target practice, was rescued from a bunch of insane sadists, went to gather medicinal plants in a raging storm, slept naked beside my rescuer and then received the best blow job I've ever had?"

Kakashi laughed. "You've had better days, ne?"

Iruka got up and walked over to the ANBU. His long hair, loose and unrestrained, had fallen across his face, so he pushed it behind his ear as he leaned in to kiss Kakashi's soft, warm lips, before sitting on the rock right beside him, nudging his shoulder gently. Kakashi loved how affectionate the chuunin was, it was something that seemed to come so naturally to him.

"Maybe so, but the last bit was amazing. It felt so good. I…" he hesitated slightly before continuing, as though he was trying to find the right words without sounding cloying or stupid. "…I've never felt that way before."

"What? Being a human target?"

Iruka giggled. "No! Of course not." He bowed his head very slightly, raising his eyes to meet Kakashi's intense gaze. "I liked being with you very much."

Kakashi grinned, that amiable shy smile. Iruka knew immediately he wanted very much to get used to seeing it. It was so uncertain and yet so lovely. When Kakashi let his full lips curl into a upwards curve they complemented way his eyes arched and gently lit up his face. That sensuous mouth, always hidden behind his mask, was really beautiful and Iruka could simply not understand why he would choose to conceal it. The ANBU wrapped his arm around Iruka's shoulders and gave him a squeeze.

"I had been wanting to do that for days," he confessed. Iruka raised an eyebrow. Kakashi continued, "I'm very attracted to you, Iruka. I want to tell you that now."

Iruka nodded, focussing intently on what the ANBU had to say. But Kakashi didn't continue. It was strange, this genius shinobi was so very reserved. Just as Iruka thought he might get to talk to Kakashi in depth, get him to open up, to find out about his feelings, he went quiet. It was infuriating and yet thoroughly intriguing.

Kakashi changed the subject. "I've just had a great idea. I'll be back in an hour." With that, he ran off to the cave, re-emerging moments later with his backpack on his back; then he plunged into the sea and began to swim towards the headland further down the shore, eventually disappearing from view as he passed the rocky outcrop.

Iruka lay back on the beach, watching the elite ninja swim away from him. He could use some quiet time. His body was exhausted and wanted to rest, but his mind needed to process the events of the last two days. He was fully aware that he had really fucked up by going back to the Iwa town on his own, but he had done it for good reason and Kakashi had cared about him enough to help him out. He really liked Kakashi as a person and genuinely felt that he had started to break through the barrier that the ANBU had so carefully constructed to protect himself and his privacy.

Iruka was genuinely happy that he was helping Kakashi – if only in a small way – start out towards coming to terms with his grief over the death of his beloved friend. He couldn't really understand how the elite ninja found him to be so attractive and wanted to be so intimate with him. As he considered his own feelings, he realised that he had too grown very attached to the ANBU. It wasn't love, it was far too soon to be love, but he found Kakashi to be enigmatic and charismatic and he genuinely wanted to get to know him better. He had never been with an experienced partner before, let alone one who was so talented and who somehow knew instinctively how to give him so much pleasure. Iruka was curious and deep inside he was convinced that he wanted more.

But Iruka was also pragmatic and was slightly anxious that he might be feeling this way precisely because Kakashi had cared enough about him to rescue him. Was it a misplaced sense of gratitude that he was feeling? And yet the ANBU had outwardly and forthrightly declared that he was attracted to the chuunin. He was being honest and open, just as he had been from the very moment they had met and Kakashi had told him, plainly and without malice, that he had been assigned a mission to kill him.

Live for the moment. You learned that as a shinobi. By all rights Iruka should be dead. He should have died at the hands of the Iwa ninja as they took the scroll from him. Kakashi should have followed orders and killed him. But he hadn't. And somehow they had formed a bond.

Iruka liked Kakashi very much. He wanted to get to know him better. He wanted to be close to the ANBU, to be intimate, to experience again the wonderful pleasures that they had enjoyed together. This felt right.

The chuunin laid back lazily on the sandy beach, watching the waves lap gently on the shore, looking out for Kakashi to return.

About an hour after the ANBU had leapt into the sea, he reappeared from around the headland. He swam to the shore, splashing in the shallow water as he walked out of the sea and up across the beach, and Iruka could see that he had a satisfied expression on his face.

"You found oysters?"

"Yeah. I don't know why, but I suddenly remembered that there was an oyster bed around the headland. Obi…" he stopped himself. "My team used to take it in turns to gather them. They are really nutritious."

"Aren't they aphrodisiac?"

Kakashi didn't bother to show any hint of embarrassment. "Yeah, that was kinda what reminded me…"

Iruka blushed furiously. "Are you a pervert? Were you planning to seduce me?"

Kakashi scratched the back of his head, with a small grin on his face. "Ma, well, er… yes?"

Iruka drew himself up to his full height and pretended to look shocked at Kakashi's audacity.

The ANBU laughed. "You are so easy to wind up!" he declared. "If I'm honest, the thought did cross my mind, but we need to be practical as well. These were simple to harvest and will provide essential protein which will help us recover from our ordeal."

Iruka grinned as Kakashi took charge. "Right, I'm going to need you to open these with a kunai while I get the water boiled for the noodles."

"Okay, boss," Iruka replied, as he found his knife and started prising apart the tough shells. The oysters were tricky to open, they needed a solid grip, a sharp insertion with the kunai and a firm twist. Iruka then released the succulent flesh inside the shell, checking for possible grit and removing any that he found.

Meanwhile, Kakashi prepared some of the instant noodles, boiling up water in some of their tins and then letting the noodles cook for a couple of minutes. He found some of Iruka's herbs drying out in their storage area, marked by Obito so many years ago, and he added sorrel to the stock for extra flavour.

The shinobi sat together as they devoured the raw oysters, which were utterly delicious, and then the can of hot, comforting noodles. Iruka also remembered that he had made carrageen jelly a couple of days ago. It had set fully and had kept well in the cool, dry cavern. There was loads, so they ate some of it for dessert. Kakashi was impressed at how good the jelly tasted, especially considering that Iruka didn't have sugar and had used the juice of berries to sweeten it. He really admired the chuunin's resourcefulness.

They sat back and savoured their meal. They didn't need to talk, both felt comfortable just relaxing together as they watched the orange sun melt slowly into the horizon.

Eventually Kakashi broke the silence. "So… did the oysters work then?" he asked, his eyes curving into a mischievous smile. Iruka blushed immediately.

"I don't know what you are talking about," he admonished.

Kakashi got up from where he had been sitting and moved closer to Iruka. He ran his fingers through the chuunin's chestnut hair and held his head gently as he leaned in to press his lips against the younger man's mouth. Those tentative touches soon gave way to another passionate kiss as Iruka opened his mouth to welcome Kakashi. Their tongues battled as each explored the other: a kiss that was hungry, fervent, impatient, delectable.

Eventually they broke apart as the need for oxygen overcame each of them. Kakashi stroked Iruka's cheek with the back of his hand, his eyes shining as he gazed into the dark abyss of Iruka's eyes. He wanted to drown in that gaze.

Iruka tilted his head slightly as he observed Kakashi. He could see so much kindness in his countenance, and compassion, something that he would not have noticed just a few days ago.

He could also see desire. He realised that the ANBU wanted to be with him again and deep inside he knew that he too wanted to be with Kakashi. He trusted him absolutely.

Suddenly he felt a burst of confidence. He stood up and held out his hand. He gazed directly at Kakashi, his expression serious and intense. He _knew_ that the ANBU desired him. He was going to be bold. Kakashi raised an eyebrow and grinned at him as he placed his pale hand into Iruka's and let the chuunin pull him up. Gripping his hand tightly, Iruka walked slowly but purposefully towards the cave, pulling Kakashi along with him. He turned to look behind him as he walked, a slightly wilful expression in his dark brown eyes.

Kakashi swallowed hard. He adored that wicked look and the fluidity of the chuunin's stride as they made their way inside. Iruka looked so goddamned sultry it was almost a sin.

When they reached the bedrolls on the rocky ledge Iruka laid himself down on the soft mat and pulled Kakashi towards him.

Kakashi climbed onto the ledge and lay beside the chuunin, wrapping Iruka up into his arms. He just held him, burying his face in Iruka's hair, inhaling his scent. The older man remained quiet and very still. He had already indicated to Iruka how much he wanted to be with him, but he didn't want to push things. He hoped very much that Iruka would continue to take the lead. He was very aware that the chuunin was inexperienced and that that might lead him to hesitate, so he waited to see what Iruka wanted to do. Whatever it turned out to be, Kakashi was prepared to encourage him all the way.

Iruka leaned back to look at Kakashi directly and, speaking slightly shyly, he stated, "I want to do for you what you did to me."

Kakashi's closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. A virtually indiscernible smile of contentment flickered across his face. Outwardly he displayed an air of quiet confidence but inside his heart was racing as he tried to contain his excitement. He opened his eyes to convey his feelings as the chuunin continued softly, "But I've never done it before and… well… I might be awful at it and I don't want it to be terrible for you."

Kakashi smiled and stroked the chuunin's hair with his long, elegant fingers. His heart was beating so fast inside his ribcage that it felt as though it might burst, as he came to realise that Iruka hadn't simply got caught up in the moment yesterday and that he genuinely did want to be with him. The ANBU could barely speak, his voice was husky and low as he declared, "I'm certain that pretty much anything you do to me will feel amazing."

Iruka blushed as Kakashi continued to stroke his hair. The ANBU adored how uncertain he was, and yet, so eager. "I have an idea," he whispered, leaning in and letting his soft, warm breath ghost against Iruka's ear. "Why don't we do this together? You follow my lead, copy what I do?" He licked Iruka's earlobe, then tilted his head back to see Iruka's response. Kakashi's lovely shy smile complemented the passionate expression in his eyes.

Iruka's face lit up. He kissed the ANBU once more. The passion of his kiss was so fierce, so powerful. Iruka felt a burst of happiness swell inside him. Kakashi could teach him. That way he could reciprocate, and he could learn. He could return some of the wonderful sensations he had experienced the night before, without feeling totally inadequate.

Kakashi took the lead immediately.

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><p>PLEASE GO TO MY LJ ACCOUNT FOR THE FULL VERSION<p>

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><p>Eventually they gentled the kiss and slowly pulled their lips apart, whilst continuing to hold each other tightly. They simply gazed into each other's eyes.<p>

Iruka's eyes were shining.

Kakashi's mouth curved into a satisfied grin.

They didn't need to speak. Words could not have expressed they way they felt. Kakashi wrapped the chuunin into his arms and kissed his forehead, his way of showing a deeply held affection.

Before long, still embracing each other, the pair drifted into a velvet sleep.

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><p>The following day, the shinobi awoke in each other's arms. They were both feeling relaxed, content and, unsurprisingly, highly aroused.<p>

When they eventually got up, it was clear to both of them that their chakra levels had improved significantly and, despite expending more energy than they had planned to that morning, they discovered that they were feeling much better.

They decided to go for a run along the beach. Both were fully aware that they needed to maintain their fitness levels if they were to have any chance of taking on the Iwa ninja and retrieving the scroll. They maintained a good pace; Kakashi could probably have pushed himself harder but he was aware that Iruka was likely to be feeling a bit self-conscious that Kakashi's rank was much higher than his and was concerned that he had fewer skills than the genius ANBU.

Kakashi couldn't have cared less about rank. Besides, it was nice to run together, spurring each other on. Kakashi was beginning to feel more comfortable about being in Iruka's company.

When they returned to the cave, Kakashi started a fire while Iruka prepared them an early breakfast and a tin can of tea. They would need a few more days to recover fully, but they sat together to discuss their plans.

"Ok, I have an idea for retrieving that scroll and getting us back home," the ANBU announced.

Iruka nodded. He was resolved and determined but, deep down, was feeling pretty apprehensive. He knew that Kakashi wanted to involve him in their plan, but he was terribly afraid that he wasn't going to be skilled enough to contribute. Kakashi sensed that Iruka was likely to have lost a lot of confidence after attempting to retrieve the scroll on his own and felt the need to reassure him and to make him feel valued.

"Iruka," he placed his hand on the chuunin's arm and squeezed it softly, smiling gently as he did so. "I need to understand your skills; what your strengths are, what jutsu you know. I need to learn how we can best work together."

Iruka nodded. His expression was serious and he paid close attention to the ANBU leader.

Kakashi continued, "What is your chakra nature? I believe you said Earth when you told me your story about the Iwa ninja and your so-called 'defection'?" He made a point of recognising that he didn't believe that Iruka had defected and that the chuunin was entirely innocent. Despite his misguided attempt to retrieve the scroll alone, Iruka had indisputably proved his worth.

The chuunin nodded. He was impressed that Kakashi had remembered the details of his tale about the mission that had gone so horribly wrong for him. "Yeah. Although many Leaf shinobi are skilled in Earth techniques, Earth affinity is quite rare in Konoha and I'm only just developing my skills." He allowed himself a small smile. "I learned a few jutsu while I was with the Iwa gang though."

Kakashi loved that about Iruka. Always so positive. Even though he had found himself in the most difficult of circumstances, not knowing whether his team – and his best friend - had declared him to be a traitor, he still made the best of things and had tried to learn new techniques. Kakashi admired his both spirit and his tenacity.

"And what about taijutsu, genjutsu?"

"Okay at both. I'm weaker at casting genjutsu, but I can often detect them and release myself from them. I was a bit of a brat after I lost my parents and I drove the Third and all my teachers mad with a bunch of practical jokes I devised. It means that I'm usually on the lookout for trickery." He allowed himself a small grin.

Kakashi picked up on it, noting when Iruka was feeling confident about his abilities, and his eye creased into a smile too.

"Weapons?"

"I was top in my class for shuriken and kunai. 99% accuracy for a static target, 89% accuracy on a moving target."

"Hmm, good," Kakashi noted, as his mind processed the possibilities that Iruka's skills afforded them. He was certain that Iruka's contribution would be incredibly important. He had been a leader since he was a boy and he knew precisely how to assess his comrades' skills and how to get the best out of the team.

Iruka cocked his head to one side. He was feeling curious again. "What about you? How many jutsu do you know?"

"Around 800, I think," the ANBU replied without a trace of arrogance.

!ruka looked shocked. "Really?" he gasped in astonishment.

"Yeah," Kakashi replied nonchalantly.

"How can you possibly know so many?"

Kakashi sighed. Even though he was increasingly comfortable being with Iruka, there were some parts of his life that he still didn't want to open up about. "Many years ago I was given a gift from one of my best friends: the sharingan. I'm half blind without it, but when I use it, my perception is enhanced enormously. I can use it to copy my enemies' jutsu as they are being cast. Somehow they embed themselves into my memory and I can recall them at will."

Iruka was impressed by this fact. And not a little intimidated.

"It uses a lot of chakra though," Kakashi felt the need to reassure the chuunin that he wasn't superhuman and that he, too, was aware of his own weaknesses.

In determining their strategy, Kakashi mulled over his thoughts with Iruka and invited the chuunin to offer any suggestions. Together they devised a plan that they thought might work. Kakashi felt it was terribly important that Iruka's views and ideas should be taken into account. As an experienced leader, he knew that everybody's contribution and commitment was vital to the success of any mission.

"I propose that we come back here after retrieving the scroll. If either of us gets injured it will give us time to recover before heading back to Konoha. And the Iwa will assume that we will head straight back home. If any were to chase us – and I would place money on the authorities sending shinobi after us, even if we defeat that gang - they wouldn't contemplate us heading deeper into Iwa territory first."

"But how do we get the scroll in the first place?" Iruka asked, puzzled.

"OK, I've been thinking about this," Kakashi mused. "What we need is a distraction."

Iruka's face lit up. If there was one thing that he was very, very good at, it was creating distractions.


	12. The Thousand Natural Shocks

Hello again. Sorry that it's taken me so long to update. Thank you very much for all the reviews, faves and alerts this story has received, I'm always thrilled to hear from you. Well, I said last time that writing this story inspired me to learn how to forage for real, so that's what I did. A lovely walk in the somewhat damp but very beautiful countryside, I learned to identify edible plants – stinging nettles (incredibly nutritious), sorrel, wood sorrel, wild garlic (including the flowers which taste really garlicky), cow parsley, elderflower and chickweed. Then made nettle and wild garlic soup which was totally delicious. And as for sorrel - it really tastes amazing! Next time I go walking my eyes will be peeled to the ground looking for free food. Anyway, enough rambling, on with the story. I don't think there are any particular warnings for this chapter, only that I didn't invent Naruto and this is unbeta'd so apols for any mistakes.

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><p>Chapter 12 The Thousand Natural Shocks<p>

It was like a New Year's celebration. Firecrackers could be heard exploding from every direction.

The upper class residents of the Iwa town looked out from the small windows of their tall buildings into the cloudless night. They were expecting to see fireworks, brilliant flashes or multicoloured sparks of cascading light illuminating the dark indigo sky. But, somehow, there were none. Just a series of loud bangs, the sound resonating off the tall buildings and creating a curious echo which reverberated around the town.

No one was concerned. At least initially. These appeared to be the mere cracklings of a private celebration. It was common for Iwa folk to commemorate minor events with a few firecrackers and large quantities of booze. No one could see any need for an investigation, the villagers were prompted by a mild curiosity to find out what the festivities might be for and if, by an unfortunate oversight, they had been accidentally omitted from the invitation list.

The noises continued. Sometimes louder, sometimes softer. Anyone with any sense of aural direction could tell that the crackles and bangs weren't coming from one single location; they could be heard from all over town.

Kakashi was enjoying himself. He and Iruka had spent the previous couple of nights devising a whole bunch of diversions to keep the attentions of Iwa town focussed on something apparently trivial and, most importantly, to ensure that the shinobi gang were nowhere near the central business district. Kakashi was really impressed at the sheer number of ideas Iruka had come up with. He was really innovative in his thinking. He had admitted to the ANBU that he had been something of a prankster in his past, something Kakashi had already surmised from the large number of practical jokes he had endured a few days ago, but Kakashi really admired the way he had turned these childhood tricks into viable distractions that had real merit as shinobi techniques.

So far their idea was working. They had travelled to the town together. Kakashi smiled as he recalled Iruka insisting on a hug before they left the cave, his only concession towards showing his feelings for the ANBU, before they both turned into consummate professionals who had an important mission to complete. Getting this scroll back was the one way that Iruka could prove his innocence and get both him and Kakashi (who had abandoned his own assassination mission) out of trouble.

They had run swiftly from the coast to the outskirts of the town in the early evening and Iruka had found a hiding spot just off the main road. He lay low, waiting for Kakashi's signal. The ANBU had snuck into the Iwa town as the evening had turned into night, teleporting from location to location, in order to avoid detection, and placing paper bombs at strategic points all over the village. Some were located high up, some at ground level, all distributed across all parts of town with the exception of the administrative district.

The plan was to give the impression of a firework display, at least initially, to ensure that the townspeople's attention was focussed on the series of bangs and to allow Iruka to enter the village undetected.

Kakashi leapt from building to building setting off minor explosions. As ANBU he always carried a number of justu contained within small scrolls which were available for his use at any time. These included the paper bombs. Iruka had advised Kakashi to plant them at various points around the town and then to set them off in a prescribed sequence. He had taught the ANBU a jutsu which enabled him to define the order in which the bombs would detonate. This sequence was designed to appear as random as possible in order to confuse the authorities who would eventually be following up the source of the sounds.

The plan was to make an apparent celebration gradually appear to be more threatening. Neither of the Konoha shinobi wanted to harm any civilians nor particularly to inflict damage on any property; the idea was to slowly build up the presence of a threat, even an invasion, and divert the town's attention.

The random location of the blasts would mean that the authorities would have to divide into groups to find the originator of the bombs. And as they exploded at different locations, widely dispersed across the town, this would confuse the Iwa security personnel.

It took a little while for the denizens of the Iwa town to realise that they were not actually missing out on a celebration but were, in fact, being attacked. Then the authorities kicked into action.

Kakashi, sitting on the roof of one of Iwa's tallest buildings, grinned as he watched shinobi and civilians scurrying like ants to locate the source of the bombs.

And he had another plan, just to add to their confusion.

Suddenly a sewer erupted from underground, blowing the manhole covers of the village's roads sky high and spewing fountains of disgusting brown water which cascaded onto the streets. It was an idea of Iruka's that Kakashi was able to develop using his water manipulation chakra skills. By forcing a large amount of water that ran in the tunnels below the town's streets through the manholes at high pressure, he created the world's filthiest fountains.

Kakashi was having a great time. He had been impressed at Iruka's strategy, but even more, was very much enjoying being the source of such a widespread mayhem. He'd always been a stickler for the rules as a boy. His father's suicide had impressed upon him the need to conform to shinobi expectations. Setting off a series of what amounted to pranks in a strange and dangerous town felt entirely liberating. It was a release of the most marvellous kind. He was rather beginning to like being rebellious.

They had developed the plan together. Kakashi was to take charge of the distractions, while Iruka's task was to invade the office building and – somehow – find that scroll. He was best placed to look for it – he knew where it had last been seen and also what its exterior looked like; having ripped its distinctive Konoha wrapping off when trying to deceive Kemono a few days ago.

Once the commotion had started, Iruka was to sneak back into the village. The signal was the sewer fountain. He didn't become aware of it because he saw the spurt of dirty brown water, gushing high into the air and cascading downwards. Nor did the whooshing flushing sound as the water was forced through the tiny manhole covers attract his attention. It was the smell that hit him first. Rank, foul and disgusting, it was exactly what the Iwa townsfolk didn't need. They were going to have to spend a lot of time cleaning up the streets. But it was the ultimate diversion. The posh society were immediately indignant and obviously exasperated as the hot, steaming stench rose to filter into their upper class nostrils as it wafted through the windows of their high apartments. The lower classes ran inside to escape the filthy water that was flowing relentlessly onto the streets.

Right on cue, Iruka headed into town. He used the side alleys to avoid the revoltingly stinky streets and headed directly for the office building where he had last seen the scroll. He knew how to get in through the back door.

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><p>Sarutobi was having another bad day. He had spent most of it arguing with Danzou and the council. Council meetings never went well these days. He was tired and not a little grumpy, although he always hid the darker side of his personality from the populace, especially whenever he had to project a public persona. Citizens and shinobi of Konoha alike looked up to the Hokage as the ninja with the most prodigious skills, the village's representative and, necessarily, he had to deal with the pomp and ceremony associated with the title. They might have guessed but no one really <em>knew<em> how troubled the life of a Hokage really could be. How thankless the duty of protecting the village really was. How great the responsibility, how grave the burden. He would not wish it upon anyone else. He had been so proud of Minato, the genius of his generation, for taking the title on: the youngest ever Hokage. And when the Fourth had been taken from the world at such a tragically young age, Sarutobi, who had been enjoying an immensely pleasant retirement which mainly involved sitting at the river bank fishing and smoking his pipe, immediately resumed his role as Hokage. Minato's son needed him. Konoha needed him. And he would not – could not - give up his commitment to the village.

He sighed as he looked over the night-time panorama of Konoha from his office window. He truly loved looking over the village. His village, which he had sworn to protect from the very moment he became shinobi.

But he was worrying again. Kakashi had still not returned from Iwa. The Third had been anxious that his elite ninja had not completed his mission in the time he would have expected from a genius, but was now extremely concerned that the ANBU had not fulfilled his obligation in a time frame that the Hokage would have expected from any other ninja.

He rolled back his 'worrying rug' and paced for a few hundred yards. The sun had set long ago and darkness had fallen over the village; the night sky was cloudy. Pinpricks of light from shops and restaurants and houses lit up Konoha and he could hear the sounds of the locals enjoying their evening. He watched the citizens and shinobi going about their business and smiled a wistful smile. His people were what made it all worthwhile.

Sarutobi considered the possible reasons for Kakashi's potential failure. He returned to his desk and rifled through the mission reports until he found the one detailing Iruka's defection as detailed by Mizuki and the team. The Third opened up the file, sat back in his chair, lit his pipe and puffed softly, wisps of silvery smoke wafting around him, as he perused the contents intently.

As he scanned the pages, he tried to discern any clues that he might have missed. He was particularly keen to understand the details of the progression of events once the team had been captured.

The chakra draining shinobi. That was an unusual – and potentially incredibly powerful – bloodline limit. Could Kakashi possibly have fallen prey to such an enemy? The ANBU was undoubtedly the best of his age group, but the Iwa ninja, 'Kemona', as transcribed in the report, clearly had the ability to bring about great harm.

The Third paused to consider the wider picture. A number of missions had recently encountered troubles in that region, not least of which was the one which had tragically resulted in the death of Rin, one of his best kunoichi and most respected medics. Iwagakure was clearly a problem area. He needed to investigate further.

And his feelings about Iruka's defection still troubled him. He had been convinced that the chuunin was a loyal and dedicated Leaf ninja. It still seemed entirely wrong that he had turned against his village.

The Hokage decided to call upon Mizuki. He needed further information.

Before talking to the chuunin, however, he summoned two other shinobi.

The first was in his early twenties but rising through the ranks and was developing specific skills. Morino Ibiki was a tall man, who was showing a lot of potential to develop expertise in the area of shinobi security. He had a sharp mind and paid great attention to detail; a characteristic that would serve him in good stead if he were to follow the career path that the Hokage had in mind for him. In this instance Sarutobi wanted him for his security knowledge and observational skills.

The other ninja was Aburame Shibi. He sauntered into the office, his dark glasses and high collar masking any sign of his current temperament. But the Hokage knew him well, knew him to be calm, loyal and reliable with tracking skills that were unsurpassed. He was also experienced, something that Sarutobi recognised was important if he was to get to the bottom of the issues associated with the recent Iwa missions.

But first of all, the Third needed to gain as much information from Mizuki as he could ascertain as that team had been the last to return from Iwa. Sarutobi wanted to see if he could learn more than the mission report had revealed. He summoned the chuunin to his office.

The grey haired shinobi, brimming with confidence, swaggered slightly as he entered the Hokage's office. Sarutobi couldn't quite pinpoint the reasons why he always seemed to have a nagging feeling of distaste for the young man. He had never outwardly done anything to arouse anyone's suspicions about his motives, but somehow he didn't seem as, what was the word - committed - as other ninja.

The three shinobi stood to attention before their Hokage. None of them had worked together before, but all knew of each other.

The Third rose from behind his desk and beckoned for the ninja to be seated.

"Ah, thank you all for coming to see me. I would like your assistance on a matter that has been troubling me recently."

He explained about Iruka's failed mission, detailing the events as described in the report. He then went on to explain that, as Iruka had defected to Iwa, he had reluctantly assigned an assassin to eliminate him, but had received no news from the elite ANBU, who had not returned to the village within the expected timescales. He withheld Kakashi's name but Sarutobi indicated that he was most concerned and wished to pursue the matter.

"Mizuki." The chuunin looked up as his leader addressed him, "Perhaps you can tell me more about this Kemona character?"

"He is a very powerful ninja, Hokage sama," the chuunin spoke in a slightly smarmy tone of voice. "We were very lucky to have escaped from him."

The Third glanced at Ibiki and noted that he was monitoring every nuance of the chuunin's posture and expression.

"He seems to have a very distinct bloodline limit," the Third continued. "I would like you to tell me more about it, please."

"Yes, of course, Hokage sama." The chuunin's demeanour was sycophantic beyond belief, but no one judged him. Mizuki continued, "He has the ability to drain chakra using his eyes. As soon as they begin to sparkle, you have about three seconds to run from him. But it is virtually impossible to do so. The entire mission team had their chakra drained to the point of exhaustion by this man. If he so wishes he can maintain the technique to kill shinobi by eradicating all their chakra."

Mizuki then went on to describe, in nit-pickingly convoluted detail, how events had unfolded. He made a particular point of demonstrating his shock, and sadness, that his good friend Iruka had felt the need to defect to Iwa, and had even used the excuse of developing his Earth jutsu to justify the change of allegiance. But, he added, with an obsequious smirk, the rest of the team had then taken the opportunity to escape.

The Third had heard enough. He was feeling increasingly uncomfortable about Mizuki's story. Somehow, the tone of the tale had become more ambiguous, more conciliatory and this troubled Sarutobi.

But what had been done could not be undone.

"Thank you, Mizuki. You may leave." The chuunin looked slightly disappointed that he wasn't going to hear the Hokage's decision on how he planned to handle matters. The grey haired ninja turned on his heels and left, a bland smile masking his sullen mood.

The Hokage sat back into his chair and pondered for a moment, puffing solemnly at his pipe. The two remaining shinobi were fully aware that this was a little habit of his, but they nevertheless felt slightly uneasy as they waited to hear his thoughts. All Konoha shinobi respected their Hokage's decision making process and appreciated that he never responded to anything in a knee-jerk fashion. He always considered his options carefully, within the context of the Shinobi Code, to ensure that any conclusion he reached was entirely in the best interests of the village and his loyal ninja. His judgement was sound. He was trusted absolutely by the people who served him for this very reason.

Having contemplated for what seemed like an age, he finally looked up and addressed his senior shinobi. He had made his decision. He had thought long and hard about whether he should use the shinobi standing before him, whether to employ further Black Ops personnel or even, kami forbid, ask Danzou to loan him some Root ninja to investigate. He decided to keep things low-key. His tone was very serious as he relayed his decision.

"I believe this Iwa shinobi to be a very great threat to Konoha ninja. There are three elements to your mission. To seek the assassin I sent to dispatch the rogue Umino Iruka. It would greatly surprise me if he had fallen prey to this ninja but it is a possibility and I need to establish where he is and why he hasn't yet returned. I feel as though there may be more to this story. And then I wish you to bring back as much intel on this Kemona ninja but do not, I repeat, do not, engage with him. If possible, I need to you establish whether the Konoha rogue is still alive. If he is, he should be eliminated."

Both ninja bowed respectfully. The Third then went on to explain the details of the recent events and how they related to this mission. Their skills were complementary. He wanted them to investigate and issued specific instructions to cover what he perceived to be every possible outcome. He was most concerned that, in the first instance, they should locate the missing ANBU.

Ibiki and Shibi left on their new mission later that night.

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><p>Iruka made his way to the small room where he and the Iwa cipher expert Mogera had attempted to translate the scroll together. Well, Mogera had attempted to translate it and Iruka had done his level best to hinder him. He half wondered whether Mogera was still in the office, bound and gagged as Iruka had left him.<p>

Fortunately he wasn't.

Iruka was fairly certain that the scrolls were all stored in the same area in the office room. The only problem was that, like most shinobi towns, there were thousands upon thousands of scrolls, each containing the most precious and valuable secrets of their village. As with Konoha, Iwa clearly researched and developed jutsu and had a veritable library of important information stored within scrolls.

The chuunin looked around the office. It was as he remembered. The storage section was located towards the rear of the room, on a wall lined with shelves, upon which thousands of scrolls were stacked.

Iruka faced a wall of scrolls before him. He needed to try to locate the Konoha scroll he had been entrusted with. The task would have been so much easier had it been encased in its original and distinctive Leaf cover. But Iruka had used that parchment to disguise an irrelevant Iwa scroll as the one from Konoha in order to deceive Kemono. Now he had no idea what the scroll looked like, particularly in comparison to the hundreds of scrolls on the shelves before him.

Time was of the essence. He realised that the distractions he and Kakashi had created would only be useful for a finite time. It wouldn't be long before the Iwa shinobi realised that they were being hoodwinked and that they would immediately become suspicious and seek to find whoever was causing the disturbance. And he was certain that the Konoha pair would be amongst the first they would expect to be looking for.

As Iruka surveyed the scrolls, he remembered that he had modified the Konoha scroll. He had spent quite some time altering it, making it look as though it had deteriorated, in order to render it more difficult to translate. That had to be his clue.

He scanned the shelves with a sense of urgency, searching for anything that stood out from the row upon row of identical tightly rolled parchments. His heart was beating, and adrenaline was pumping through him. He was concerned about how long Kakashi would be able to distract the Iwa shinobi before they discovered the ruse. He knew the ANBU was a genius but time really was of the essence.

He took a deep breath. He had to remain calm and, above all, to approach the search methodically. He had no idea about the Iwa filing system methodology so the best thing to do was to start at the beginning. The best place to start.

He scanned the top row of scrolls. They were covered in dust, they clearly hadn't been disturbed for months, if not years. Iruka tutted at the poor quality of the housekeeping. Konoha administrators were much more conscientious about keeping their scrolls ordered meticulously and in pristine condition.

He continued to scan the shelves, making sure to check every row. And then he spotted it. An area on the shelves that wasn't covered with dust. These were clearly scrolls that had been used recently. Immediately his gaze shifted to an old looking scroll. It wasn't tightly bound because the paper was creased and wrinkled. He pulled it from the shelf and opened it quickly. Glancing across the intricate kanji scrawled across it, he recognised it immediately. That was his scroll, the one he had artificially aged and modified to make it more difficult to decipher. He felt a very great burden lift from his conscience. Now all he had to do was alert Kakashi and get them out of there.

As soon as he had found the scroll he emerged from the office building and sent a lightning based flare that Kakashi had given him into the sky. That was the signal. The ANBU then knew that Iruka had fulfilled his part of the mission and that they should meet up.

The Leaf shinobi had agreed upon a suitable rendezvous location, so both of them headed in that direction as discreetly as possible. They were lucky to have the cover of nightfall and, by this time, some knowledge of the streets. They had agreed to meet towards the outskirts of the village.

Iruka did not have teleportation jutsu skills so had to run through the town. As part of their plan, Kakashi had decided that he would cover Iruka's escape through the alleyways. He leapt from rooftop to rooftop, carefully observing the streets below and keeping a close eye on the chuunin's route through the town. He made sure that he kept Iruka within his line of sight at all times. They had decided to leave heading south, to give the impression to anyone who might happen to be watching that they were heading straight back home to Konoha, but in fact they had planned to double back and return to the Iwa coastline. This would ensure a safe place to recover if either of them was injured during the mission and they could also to return to Fire Country via a completely different route, avoiding the usual dangerous paths. It would take longer, but would be much safer.

Just as Iruka was about to exit onto the main road, Kakashi leapt down from an adjacent building and joined his partner. Iruka smiled as the ANBU joined him and they ran together.

However, just metres from the Iwa town's gates, a familiar group of ten shinobi emerged from the side streets to block their exit. They sauntered across the road and stood together in a row, blocking their path, poised and ready to take on the Konoha pair.

Kakashi and Iruka stopped in their tracks. It was a stand off.

Kakashi glanced across at Iruka to gauge his reaction. The chuunin's expression was that of sheer determination. He had the scroll in his possession and was damned if was going to lose it again.

The ANBU assessed the situation. He figured that as long as Kemono wasn't with the gang, if he and Iruka fought together they would have a good chance of defeating their enemy. He was certain that they would make an excellent team. He knew that Iruka was a quick learner and had good instincts.

He was just about to issue combat instructions to his comrade, when the chakra draining brute strode across the road, in front of his gang. A hazy mist swirled around his head, as the strange chakra-detecting mist cleared around him. They were caught again.

Kemono had fully expected that the Konoha shinobi would return. He had a smile on his face. This time he would dispatch the pair of them.

Permanently.


	13. Their Currents Turn Awry

Hello again. Thanks so much for the reviews/faves/alerts – I am always delighted to hear from you. I guess you're probably aware of the recent FF M-rated fic purge, so I won't rant (too) much about it here. But I'm a bit of a quandary. I don't consider the content of my writing to be any more graphic than many of the M-rated fics that have been posted at FF over the years. I've been left with a bit of a dilemma. I thought about voting with my feet and moving away from here, but it looks like it'll be 2013 before I can get an AO3 account unless I get an invite. I really love writing this story and don't want to see it go or have to wait for several months before I continue. So… for the time being I have compromised. I have cut this story (notably Ch 10 and 11) to what I think is an M rating and put the naughty text on my Livejournal page (there's a link in my profile). I've tried to insert links on these pages to make reading the story as seamless as I can. Right now, I just want to be able to continue writing and want the people who have been kind enough to follow this to be able to read it – my muse tells me there are a fair few chapters left to go. Anyway, rant over, on with the story. Thanks again to everyone who has taken the time to review – it's very much appreciated. Usual disclaimers apply. Please be warned that this chapter contains swearing, violence and fluff.

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><p>Chapter 13 Their Currents Turn Awry<p>

Kakashi's first instinct was to get out of there. Teleport him and Iruka the hell away from the Iwa town. He could do it. Iruka had successfully retrieved the scroll – as Kakashi knew he would. They really had no need to be there any longer. They could return to Konoha and clear their names.

But if he had the opportunity to defeat Kemono, shouldn't he take it?

It wasn't about revenge.

Well, it wasn't solely about revenge.

The ninja standing before them with a look of thunder on his face had such an extraordinarily powerful bloodline limit that it represented a serious threat to all Leaf shinobi who might have to operate within Iwa territory in the future. Too many lives had been lost already.

So much hurt.

So much pain.

Kakashi had just a few moments to make a decision as to whether he would take on Kemono and his team. He glanced briefly at Iruka, standing beside him, to gauge his feelings. Iruka was tense but looked steadfast and determined as he stood his ground. He looked at Kakashi with his soulful brown eyes and nodded firmly, ready to follow whatever instruction he was given.

The chuunin knew that he had to be as alert as possible and to react immediately to whatever command was issued. He was a lower rank so automatically acknowledged Kakashi's authority, it was the shinobi way.

Kakashi was relying on Iruka to follow his lead as necessary. He trusted the chuunin and believed he was entirely capable of working with him to defeat Kemono. But the ANBU was improvising and it was always more difficult to extemporise with a colleague, particularly one with whom he had not worked before and who was so much less experienced.

Kakashi needed to assess the great brute's intentions. He had a number of options available to him but he had decided that if those deadly eyes even hinted that they might start sparkling he would teleport both of them away. His first priority was to protect Iruka.

Kemono knew from their previous brief encounter that Kakashi had teleportation skills and was quick enough to avoid his deadly gaze. He may have been a lout, his reflexes may have been slow, but he was intelligent enough to know that he needed to determine a strategy to take on the Konoha pair.

He decided to speak, his booming voice bellowing at the Konoha pair.

"Iruka, mate. Respect to your persistence but you're really beginning to piss me off. You've stolen the scroll again, haven't you?"

Iruka glanced at Kakashi, as he wasn't sure whether the ANBU wanted him to respond. The older man nodded at him briefly, indicating that it was okay to answer. Engaging in dialogue gave the ANBU the opportunity to think, more time to develop a strategy. Iruka understood immediately.

The chuunin turned up the bravura and grinned as he shrugged at the Iwa leader.

"Yep. I had to give it a try."

"And now you've brought your Konoha pal along, yeah?"

Iruka nodded, a weak smile plastered across his face, desperately trying not to show any fear, despite the fact that he was actually terrified inside. He was determined to appear as bold and calm as Kakashi, but was secretly very glad that he was standing beside the ANBU who seemed so utterly composed. Iruka really admired his professionalism. The older man slowly pulled away his eyepatch, revealing the sharingan with its slowly spinning tomoe.

"And you know I'm gonna kill you both?" Kemono's grin was menacing.

Iruka was just about to think of a witty riposte when Kakashi interrupted his train of thought.

"You can try, Kemono," the ANBU stated coolly, "But you're not the sharpest kunai in the holster and even you are aware that you're going to be too slow. I'm going be way too fast for you and you know it. Got any other techniques you can challenge me with or do you have just the one party piece?"

Kemono scowled. He didn't take kindly to personal insults. He was the king of his patch and tolerated absolutely no insubordination from his gang. He knew that that he could kill them both if he could catch them, but that Kakashi's skills were faster than any expert shinobi he had encountered before. He wasn't aware that the ANBU had been the disciple of the Yellow Flash of Konoha. But the Iwa leader was actually a more decent strategist that Kakash had given him credit for. He had a contingency plan.

He signalled to two of his lackeys, who immediately made hand-seals.

Earth Release: Earth Abyss!

Immediately the ground upon which Iruka and Kakashi had been standing crumbled away from beneath them. They suddenly found themselves falling rapidly, each plummeting deep into the bowels of the sandy earth.

Iruka could not get a footing. He tried to use his hands and feet to grip to the side of the increasingly large hole that he was falling into. He had an idea that the purpose of the Iwa ninja's jutsu was to create a chasm into which their enemy would fall and then, once they were deep enough, bury them alive to trap them and finally drain them of their chakra.

Iruka scrabbled at the loose earth of the walls. Every time his fingers brushed the side of rapidly deepening chasm, the soil crumbled. He was beginning to wonder how the hell he was going to get out of this. He wondered if Kakashi was capable of teleporting if he didn't have firm footing. He suspected that Kemono was counting on that.

Falling, falling.

Suddenly Kakashi was beside him. He had managed to teleport to Iruka from the gulf that had opened beneath his feet. He grabbed Iruka and pulled him into his arms, holding him close as they continued to fall together, deeper and deeper.

The ANBU had a plan. _Of course _the ANBU had a plan. Iruka was beginning to realise that his companion really was a genius and was absolutely going to get them both out of there.

Ever the professional, Kakashi's primary aim was to ensure Iruka's safety and to devise a means to – quite literally - get them out of a hole. His questions were concise and precise.

"Iruka. Your chakra affinity is Earth, right?"

The chuunin nodded, his expression earnest.

"Can you replicate that jutsu?"

"I think I could," Iruka replied, "But I don't know the hand seals."

Kakashi was impressed that Iruka's responses were quick and realistic. He didn't express doubt, he didn't hesitate, he was simply honest and open. He understood the gravity of the situation. And it was gravity that was pulling the Leaf shinobi deeper and deeper into the bowels of the earth. It wouldn't be long before they were so deep that their burial would result in them being unable to escape an untimely grave. If they couldn't escape, Kemono could drain their chakra and that would end the both mission and their lives.

"I learned the seals with the sharingan. It's Snake – Ox – Snake – Hare – Snake – Horse – Monkey."

A difficult permutation of hand seals if ever there was one.

Iruka nodded, absorbing the information immediately. He didn't need Kakashi to repeat the combination. The ANBU was pleased. Iruka was turning out to be an excellent team-mate. Kakashi continued to relay his impromptu plan as they continued to fall. But he needed to make sure that Iruka was happy to go along with his plan.

"Right. We're going to take these fuckers on. You okay with that?"

Iruka nodded firmly.

"Good. We can do this. But I need your help. I assume you have the ability to move earth, right?"

"Yes." It was one of the first things that any ninja with Earth affinity learned. Iruka's voice was slightly husky, but he was determined not to show any fear.

"Okay. I'm going to teleport us the hell out of here and take us back to the surface. As soon as we emerge you need to replicate that jutsu and use it directly on Kemono. You'll need to be really quick. The only reason he's not draining our chakra right now is that he knows I can teleport us away. He's relying on me not being able to do this while falling. He's wrong. But if he senses that you are vulnerable when we get to the surface, he will kill you. I need you to create an abyss for him to fall into while I deal with the others."

Iruka closed his eyes briefly and exhaled. Inside he was quaking, but he steeled himself. He _could_ do this. Kakashi believed in him. The ANBU continued, "On my command, yeah?"

Kakashi looked into the chuunin's wide brown eyes as his own eyes arched into a smile.

The ANBU couldn't resist giving Iruka a brief squeeze. He really wanted to hold him; to hug him and kiss him but that tantalisingly brief contact was all that his professionalism would allow. "You can do this," he whispered, proving to Iruka that he genuinely had faith in the chuunin's abilities.

Iruka smiled weakly. His heart was pounding, adrenaline flooding his body. He felt sick.

Zap! They were on the surface in an instant. Iruka shivered briefly as he recovered from the teleportation – it really was a horrible sensation. Then took a deep breath and immediately made the hand seals, hoping amongst hope that he really was capable of replicating a jutsu he had never attempted before. He needn't have worried. The earth started moving the very moment he had completed the hand seals with his nimble fingers. He recreated the earth abyss with ease. He noted the look of disgust and astonishment on Kemono's face; his eyes were just beginning to sparkle but his mouth was scowling as the ground beneath him crumbled and he started falling towards the bowels of the earth.

Kakashi grinned as he saw Iruka's expression of satisfaction - and not a little relief - at achieving the jutsu. He was proud of his team-mate. But he had no time to waste. He had ten ninja to take on. He knew that each of them would be intent on rescuing Kemono. That was clearly going to be their top priority as they were all far more vulnerable without their leader's chakra draining technique.

Kakashi hadn't planned on taking revenge. He had wanted to retrieve the scroll and get Iruka back to Konoha. That was the plan. That was the priority. But this confrontation presented him with an opportunity.

He knew it would require more chakra than he wanted to expend. Far more chakra. And he had wanted to preserve as much energy as possible. Particularly if Iruka wasn't able to contain Kemono. More than anything he wanted to protect Iruka. The ANBU had given the chuunin a tremendous responsibility but was convinced that he was proficient and absolutely capable of rising to the challenge.

A thought struck him. As Kakashi rapidly processed his thoughts on their current situation and the plethora of potential outcomes, he managed to devise a way to incapacitate the Iwa gang members. Which would also make them understand just how fucking evil they were and exactly what they had done to his best friend.

Kakashi glanced back to check Iruka's situation. The chuunin was doing just fine. His newly learned jutsu was still working perfectly, as Kemono plummeted deeper and deeper into the dark depths of the earth, his roar of fury and various ripe expletives were becoming increasingly difficult to hear. The ANBU knew that he was going to have to get involved to ensure the containment of Kemono, but he had something that he needed to do and – for now - Iruka was doing just fine without him.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

It was a forbidden jutsu. Kakashi knew this. He'd inadvertently learned it about a year ago from an ANBU colleague, who had had to use it during a dangerous mission when the enemy numbers were strong. His team-mate was unaware of the lightning fast copying skills the sharingan afforded Kakashi and he had no idea that the elite ANBU would be able to replicate the jutsu instantly. He knew the technique was forbidden precisely because it uesd dangerous levels of chakra. But, deep inside, he knew that he needed to do this. He evaluated the risks and convinced himself that it would be incredibly difficult, but possible.

This was going to get complicated.

Kakashi executed the hand seals and ten shadow clones, identical to him in every respect, appeared instantly. The shinobi, confronted by ten Konoha ANBU, took a step back. But they weren't unduly worried, at least initially. They were aware of the limitations of a cloning jutsu and realised that the shinobi before them would have had to distribute his chakra evenly amongst the clones. Each clone would be ten times weaker than its maker.

But what they didn't realise was that the clones' maker was a genius. What followed happened so quickly that the Iwa shinobi had no time to process what was happening to them. The next part of Kakashi's impromptu plan involved genjutsu. This was the part that was unnecessary and, if he was honest with himself, completely inefficient in terms of a battle strategy. But somehow that made it necessary. It was something that he could do - however minor, however inadequate – for his best friend.

Then his own unique jutsu.

In an instant each Kakashi clone teleported right in front of each Iwa ninja, face to face, nose to nose, eyeball to eyeball.

But what the Iwa ninja saw wasn't a Kakashi clone.

It was Rin.

Her happy smile. Her laughing eyes.

Everything that was the essence of Rin's loveliness was encapsulated into each of those clones.

The real Kakashi smiled inwardly, a vengeful smirk, as he observed the expressions on each of the Iwa ninja's faces.

Shock.

Surprise.

Shame.

Guilt.

Fear.

The ANBU achieved precisely the response he had wanted to elicit from those evil men.

What they had done to Rin was beyond unacceptable, it was unspeakable. Now was the time for him to exact revenge.

The chirruping of a thousand birds filled the air.

Kakashi had only enough chakra to divide one normal chidori between the clones but that would be enough for his purpose. Each 'Rin' uttered a piercing scream as she generated chidori and plunged the lightning charge into the groins of each of the shinobi before her. Thousands upon thousands of volts coursed through their bodies and yet the current was small; the charge was not enough to kill them.

Death would be too easy.

Every Iwa ninja screamed with the pain. It was beyond agonising, beyond excruciating. Their flesh burned, their bodies juddered uncontrollably with the shock of the electric current. They would never be able to do what they had done to Rin ever – _ever_ – again.

As each clone fulfilled its purpose, it dispersed, as instructed by its maker, in order to preserve chakra.

Kakashi shuddered as the memories of each of the clones transferred into him. He saw the expressions on each of his enemies' faces. He could almost smell their guilt as each and every one of them succumbed to 'Rin's' revenge.

He watched as the Iwa shinobi each crumpled into a heap on the floor, clutching their burned groins in agony, writhing as the electricity coursed through their bodies.

Kakashi didn't feel good. He didn't feel powerful. It wasn't about that. Revenge could never be sweet.

Nothing could compensate for Rin's loss. The dreadful way she had been tortured and killed made him feel sick to the core. He could never, ever, forgive their actions, which were beyond reprehensible.

But Kakashi felt, for the briefest of moments, that he had been able to do something for his friend. And for any Konoha shinobi who might encounter the Iwa gang in the future. No other ninja from his village would ever have to suffer the ordeal his beloved Rin had had to endure.

As the final clone dissipated in a waft of smoke, Kakashi checked that the Iwa shinobi were indeed rendered incapacitated.

Then he turned his attentions to Iruka.

The chuunin had been doing an excellent job containing Kemono, the most dangerous of the ninja they were taking on. Kakashi was impressed.

The Iwa leader was tumbling further and further into the deep, dark bowels of the earth. Iruka had not only succeeded in mastering that jutsu, he was maintaining it with commendable skill.

The next phase of the ANBU's plan involved dispatching Kemono. He was, quite literally, the biggest threat to the Konoha pair and, indeed, any future shinobi who might be unfortunate enough to come across him.

He moved across to Iruka to check the situation.

"How are you doing?"

"He's still falling, the earth is opening up deeper and I'm controlling the scree on the sides of the hole so that he can't get a grip to get himself out."

Kakashi patted Iruka on the shoulder. "Great job."

The chuunin blushed slightly. He wasn't terribly good at receiving praise. And he needed to maintain his concentration.

Kakashi continued, "Okay, listen. On my command I need you to halt the abyss and transfer as much earth into that hole as you can shift. Bury him."

Iruka nodded, his attention focussed solely on the task in hand. He would have felt very satisfied that Kakashi trusted him enough to entrust him with such an important task, but he was concentrating so hard it was all he could do to maintain the jutsu.

Kakashi was feeling tired. He knew that his chakra levels were getting dangerously low. Mustering all the internal energy he could draw from, he once again used his lightning based chakra to create something that he hoped would permanently stop Kemono.

It was a risk. He had never tried this. The theory was utterly sound but he had never attempted it before. And certainly not after creating ten clones, ten genjutsu and ten tenths of a chidori.

He kicked at the soil beneath him. It seemed sandy enough. He had to try this.

"Now, Iruka." He shouted as he sparked up raikiri. He only had one chance.

The chuunin responded immediately, instantly halting the abyss jutsu and creating the handseals to start shifting mounds of earth on top of Kemono. He could hear faint sounds of swearing and cursing from deep within the earth, and then transferred tonne upon tonne of soil into that deep, dark hole.

The next part of Kakashi's plan was to create a prison. An eternal prison from which the Iwa leader would have no hope of escape.

Lightning beats earth.

Every time.

Kakashi had to use his judgement. A rapid calculation based on his perception of the abyss jutsu when he was falling to determine Kemono's depth. It had to be approximate, but he could over-compensate with his jutsu. He was taking a risk, but it seemed worth it. This Iwa ninja needed to be dispatched, not only to avenge Rin – nothing Kakashi could do would return his best friend to him - but he was a threat to all Konoha shinobi who were likely to venture into Iwa territory.

But the ANBU's chakra levels were low. He turned to the chuunin who was still concentrating hard on his jutsu.

"Iruka, I'm running very low on chakra. I may not make it. I have to use a lightning jutsu to dispatch Kemono."

Iruka nodded to acknowledge Kakashi's assessment of the situation, dividing his attention between maintaining the jutsu and understanding the next part of the plan.

Kakashi spoke once more. "If I use too much chakra, I will need you to get me out of here. Can you do that?"

"Yes," Iruka responded immediately. He was very tired but felt he could accommodate Kakashi's request if necessary. "Do what you need to do."

The ANBU took a deep breath and focussed his raikiri. Flashes of lightning blades, thousands upon thousands of volts pierced the earth that was piled on top of Kemono.

The searing heat of the electrical charge fused the silica in the sandy soil sending pillars of fulgurite into the earth below, forming a permanent prison in the ground below.

Kakashi had effectively created a cage around the big brute, hundreds of metres below the surface of the earth. Kemono would be trapped inside an earth prison, bars composed of solid lightning fused silica surrounding him.

The ANBU turned to Iruka, his eyes curving into a smile, as he declared, "Well done. You did a terrific job. I'm really proud of you."

Iruka beamed.

As soon as the chuunin had congratulated the ANBU on a job well done, Kakashi collapsed in a heap upon the ground. He'd overdone it. Used far too much chakra.

Iruka leapt to his side. Kakashi was unconscious. And the chuunin could hear the townsfolk approaching them, sloshing through the smelly sewage soiled streets of the Iwa town.

"Baka," he muttered gently to the comatose shinobi on the ground before him.

He then picked Kakashi up and threw him over his shoulder. The ANBU was a dead weight but his frame was lean and Iruka was strong.

He ran.

He was exhausted but somehow drew upon his final reserves of adrenaline. He kept calm and followed the plan. He headed south, as though he was going to carry Kakashi all the way to Konoha. He drew upon his dwindling chakra reserves to use a clever earth jutsu that randomly swirled the dry soil of the dirt road around him, covering his tracks. When he was certain that he was out of range, he doubled back as they had planned and took the unconscious ANBU back to their cave hideout by the seashore.

As he laid Kakashi down on the bedroll, he gently stroked his hair and looked affectionately down upon him. Then he laid himself beside the older man and wrapped his arms around him. He was exhausted and quickly fell asleep.

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><p>"Baka," the chuunin said softly as the ANBU slowly opened his eyes and looked around him, blinking twice as he regained consciousness. The sharingan was black. They were back in the cave. Iruka was awake and, although he too was incredibly tired, he had been watching over him. He brushed Kakashi's silver hair that had flopped over his scarred eye from his face.<p>

Kakashi smiled. That lovely shy smile, that – on this occasion - also looked just a touch sheepish. He was aching all over and he groaned as he shifted his position on the bedroll.

"Are you okay?" Iruka's voice was full of concern.

"Yeah, but I feel like shit. How are you?"

"I'm okay," Iruka responded. "But I feel really tired. It was a tough mission."

"I'm very proud of you. You did amazingly well. And we achieved far more than I could have hoped for. We got the scroll and now we can get back home and clear your name." Kakashi sighed. "But it won't be for a while yet. I need to rest for a few more days. I used way too much chakra."

"You knew that was going to happen, didn't you?"

The ANBU nodded. He remained silent. Iruka grinned at him, not sure what to say. Eventually Kakashi spoke. "Thank you," he whispered. He didn't need to say anything else. Iruka knew how grateful he was.

Iruka looked quizzical. He had something that he wanted to ask, but was a little unsure about how Kakashi would react and hoped desperately that the ANBU wouldn't take offence.

"Was it worth it?" he asked softly.

"No," Kakashi replied honestly.

Of course it wasn't worth it. He had overstepped the mark and used a dangerous amount of chakra to take revenge on a bunch of evil and cowardly shinobi who had abused and killed his best friend. He had nearly killed himself in the process. And there was nothing that he could have done to them that would have made up for the loss of his beloved Rin.

"But it was close." He slowly allowed himself a weak smile.

"Why did you risk it?" Iruka was puzzled as to why Kakashi, the professional, the elite, would do something so dangerous as to let his chakra levels fall so low.

Kakashi's answer was simple. "I trusted you."

Three small words.

They changed everything.

Iruka's heart leapt. As he gazed directly at Kakashi, an intense expression in his dark brown eyes, as though scrutinising him. This reserved ninja, an ANBU elite who had made a decision to abandon his assassination order based on an instinct and who clearly didn't trust anyone in the shinobi world apart from his recently deceased friend, had trusted the chuunin, had had confidence in his abilities, to know that he would save him from the Iwa citizens whilst carrying out his duty to his village. His heart swelled with pride.

And something else changed within Iruka. He realised that his feelings for the assassin had become much stronger. He already considered Kakashi to be a friend – it was something that was so obvious it came naturally to him - and he had very much enjoyed being with him for the last few days, enjoying his companionship and sharing pleasures that he had not experienced before. But this was more powerful, a feeling that captured him, engulfed him, overwhelmed him. He had never felt this way before.

Kakashi stared at the chuunin. Ever observant, he could detect something new in Iruka's expression. He had perceived a sense of passion in the chuunin's demeanour from the very moment they had met, when Kakashi had held a knife to his throat and calmly told him that he had been ordered to eliminate him. As he had got to know this shinobi he had discovered a myriad of feelings and emotions that made up his character. He had seen fire in Iruka's eyes, steely resolve, anger, frustration, determination. And compassion. For someone who had spent most of his life suppressing his emotions, Kakashi had come to realise that this chuunin had a sense of empathy that was so natural and yet so passionate. He was drowning in a sea of troubles and yet he was loyal, caring, devoted, considerate. And kind.

Deep down the ANBU knew that the affection that he already felt for Iruka was far stronger than a burgeoning friendship, more powerful than mere attraction, more fervent than simple desire.

Iruka stroked Kakashi's hair, smiling as he did so. He really liked patting those spiky silver strands. Kakashi loved these gestures. The chuunin leaned forward and pressed his lips against the ANBU's. They kissed softly. Iruka wrapped his arms around Kakashi and hugged him. The older man pulled his companion towards him, closed his eyes and revelled in the warmth of the chuunin's embrace.

They didn't say anything. Holding each other tightly, their bodies conveyed their feelings more than any words could express.

They drifted into a blissful sleep in each other's arms.

In love.


	14. The Native Hue of Resolution

Hello Again. First of all, thanks for all the reviews/alerts/faves for this story, I'm always thrilled to hear from you. Now, this chapter is very naughty and, even though the fic-burning purge seems to have abated, I'm going to play it safe. So, if you would like to read the full chapter please follow the link in my profile and go to my LJ account.

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><p>Chapter 14 The Native Hue of Resolution<p>

When Kakashi awoke the following morning, he was feeling slightly better, but was still very weak. It had been a long time since he had allowed himself to use that much chakra, even though he had carefully calculated how much he could get away with. Kemono's ability to drain his chakra had reminded him – a few days ago - how bloody terrible it felt, so he had known what he was letting himself in for. But it felt just _awful _now. Still, they had achieved their aim and the scroll was in their possession.

Iruka was already up and Kakashi was slightly disappointed to find that the chuunin wasn't lying beside him. He felt a tingling sensation in the pit of his stomach every time he thought about Iruka. It felt good. No, it felt amazing. He wanted to bottle the feeling of elation that had engulfed him as they had embraced the night before.

The chuunin had been out foraging but was checking in on him from time to time. When he returned to the cave, he was thrilled to see that Kakashi was awake. He ran straight over to him and immediately hugged him, then planted a soft kiss on his full lips. His eyes were shining. Iruka was so loving, it was just delightful.

"I have some food for you, if you want to eat. There's water already boiled so I can cook up some more noodles and I collected more razor clams this morning when the tide was low. They taste so sweet. We can finish off with jelly as there's still loads – enough for several more portions."

Kakashi smiled. He had enjoyed that jelly – it was delicious as well as nutritious.

"Are you up to eating outside? It's a really nice day."

Kakashi nodded. He eased himself from the bedroll, wincing slightly as his aching muscles protested at his every movement. His legs wobbled a little as they took his weight and Iruka rushed towards him, grabbing him by the waist and then placing the ANBU's arm around his shoulder, to help support him.

Kakashi objected mildly. "I can get there myself, you know."

"I like helping you," Iruka responded, grinning inwardly at the older man's stubbornness.

Kakashi blinked when the light hit his eyes as they emerged from the cave. Iruka was right, it was a glorious day.

They sat on the beach together, basking in the sunshine and watching the waves lap gently on the shore, eating a leisurely meal. Although he was still very tired and his movements were slightly sluggish, Kakashi felt more energetic every minute he was with Iruka. Sitting beside his lover, with the warm rays of the sun shining upon his face, he felt good.

He loved being with the chuunin. He loved how much Iruka cared about him. He loved his cooking as well. He wondered to himself that if Iruka could make such amazing food with virtually no ingredients, what the chuunin's cooking would be like when they got home. But it wasn't about the food. It was about wanting to get to know Iruka better; find out what he liked, what he disliked, what made him laugh, what made him cry, what turned him on. He began to realise that he actually wanted to develop a relationship with him. But he was too reserved to start up a conversation about how he felt – where would he start? - so he just grinned, his amiable smile, as he savoured the meal.

Iruka grinned back, completely unaware of what the ANBU was thinking. He was just enjoying the moment, being in Kakashi's company. He was, however, feeling a bit more practical and wanted to discuss the previous day's events.

"So, we did it, right? Those Iwa ninja are gone for good?"

Kakashi nodded slowly. "I think so. I definitely incapacitated Kemono's lackeys. I just hope that I had enough chakra to contain Kemono. It was touch and go out there."

"You were improvising, weren't you?"

Kakashi's eyes arched into a smile. "Yeah." He paused briefly, before continuing. "I am so proud of you. It's difficult to take commands from someone who is having to develop a strategy on the fly, but you took it all in your stride. Hell, you even learned a new jutsu in record time! You did really well."

"I didn't feel it," Iruka responded vehemently. Kakashi had recognised very soon after they had met that the chuunin lacked confidence in his abilities. But in that Iwa town, during that last battle, the ANBU had managed to draw out a number of skills that the chuunin didn't realise he possessed. Iruka may have been less experienced, but he was as dedicated as any Konoha shinobi, psychologically and emotionally; not only did he rise to the challenge that Kakashi had presented him, he had fulfilled every request that had been required of him. It also reflected just how good a leader Kakashi was, despite his young age.

"I know. But you were professional and you did everything that was asked of you. I couldn't have asked for more."

Iruka cocked his head to look at the ANBU. "I have only been chuunin for a couple of years. That was probably the most challenging mission I have ever had."

"Well, Konoha can be proud of you then. You were amazing."

"If only they would believe that I didn't defect," Iruka sighed at the thought of having to face the Hokage. He was terribly worried that he would be arrested on sight, walking through the gates of Konoha. Or ostracised by his friends and colleagues. And that would be the best case scenario; he was still marked for assassination as far as Fire Country was concerned.

Kakashi reached over and placed his hand on Iruka's arm. He looked into the chuunin's deep brown eyes and said, "You are innocent. I know that. We'll work it out. Together."

Iruka grinned weakly. He trusted Kakashi. And now they had possession of the scroll, they had proof that Iruka was loyal and had remained in the Iwa town for the sole reason of protecting Konoha's security. The ANBU was prepared to do whatever it took to prove this chuunin's innocence.

They sat in the sun for a couple of hours but eventually Kakashi could keep his eyes open no longer. Much as he wanted to stay awake and spend time with Iruka he was just too tired. The chuunin carried him to the bedroll in the cave and laid him down gently. Normally, the ANBU would have objected, but he found he rather liked being in Iruka's arms.

The chuunin then went outside to extinguish the fire and clear up very quickly, before returning to the cave. He climbed onto the bedroll next to Kakashi and lay down beside him. He picked up the sleeping ANBU's arm and pulled it across him, as though Kakashi was embracing him. Then Iruka snuggled closer and fell asleep in his lover's arms.

* * *

><p>When Kakashi awoke again he was feeling drowsy. And aroused. He'd been dreaming, a breathtakingly amazing erotic dream about Iruka, who had been doing all sorts of wonderful things to him. As the ANBU drifted into consciousness, he opened his grey eye and looked down to see Iruka totally absorbed and very earnestly licking at his left nipple. His hair was untied and splayed across Kakashi's chest and his eyes were closed as he concentrated on his task. He looked gorgeous.<p>

The ANBU opened the sharingan. His super-vision kicked into action which meant that his chakra was returning, most definitely a good thing. But that wasn't really what he was thinking about. He was thoroughly enjoying drinking in the wonderful sight of the chuunin pleasuring him. Iruka was unbelievably sexy. He knew it would be just a little bit wrong to record the spectacle before him, but he just couldn't help himself.

The ANBU raised his hand to stroke the chuunin's long hair.

"Were you planning on doing that all morning?" he asked with a grin on his face, his breathing slightly more ragged than he had wanted it to appear.

Iruka looked up. He blushed slightly, a little worried that he may have overstepped the mark and that it wasn't appropriate to be pleasuring Kakshi while he slept. But his expression changed immediately when he saw how much Kakashi was enjoying it. He could tell that he was making the older man feel good. His eyes lit up as a burst of confidence rushed through him. He glanced up at the ANBU, a slightly wicked smirk on his face.

"You like that?" he murmured, as his soft lips returned to kiss and lick at Kakashi's nipple. The chuunin then brought his hand to the other nipple and started to rub it slowly, feeling it harden as his fingertips pushed against it.

Kakashi growled and pressed his erection into Iruka's chest. The chuunin smiled to himself. That was precisely the response the younger man needed. With every stroke, every lick, every kiss, his belief in his abilities to bring pleasure to this experienced man increased. He too pushed his hips forward, thrusting his hardness against Kakashi's thigh. The ANBU hissed and inhaled sharply. Who would have thought that Iruka pressing his arousal against his body could turn him on so much?

He loved that Iruka was so turned on but Kakashi wanted to take control. He reached downwards and grabbed the chuunin by the waist, pulling him up towards him, so that they were facing each other. His eyes arched into a smile. Iruka wore an extremely naughty grin – one that Kakashi felt epitomised quite how damned seductive he was.

The ANBU pulled Iruka closer and, gripping his body tightly, he leaned in and claimed a kiss. Iruka opened his mouth immediately and their tongues battled; the kiss was hungry, insistent and relentless.

They kissed for several minutes, holding each other as they explored each other's mouth; Iruka gripped the ANBU's shoulders firmly, Kakashi's fingers wound into the chuunin's soft, brown hair. Eventually Kakashi pulled back. He knew what he wanted. He wanted this so badly. Mismatched red and grey orbs met the younger man's wide brown eyes. Trying desperately to control his breathing, Kakashi gripped Iruka's shoulders tightly and gazed at him, his expression that of utmost sincerity, as he said the words he had longed to speak for days.

"I would like to make love to you, Iruka."

The chuunin's eyes widened. He loved being with Kakashi and knew that he wanted more but he wasn't entirely sure that he was ready. The older man sensed that he might be apprehensive and drew back immediately.

"It's okay if you don't want to yet." He kissed Iruka's soft, warm lips, a gentle chaste kiss, that was full of tenderness. "We can do other things together." His voice had a soft tone, one that demonstrated beyond doubt how much he cared about Iruka and how determined he was not to put him under any pressure. He pulled the chuunin towards him, wrapped his arms around him and just held him tight, his fingertips ghosting lightly, up and down, along Iruka's back.

Somehow his words put Iruka at ease. He loved being held by the older man, and he sank into the warm embrace. Kakashi was fully aware that the chuunin had never made love with a man before and was undoubtedly feeling uncertain about what was involved. He'd know the basics, of course, but was also all too aware that the actuality was likely to be different to his expectations.

Kakashi continued to hold Iruka gently. His hand movements stilled, the contact between them tender, and he closed his eyes as he kissed the chuunin's lips softly, every touch conveying the love he felt for the younger man. He could feel Iruka's anxiety subsiding.

The chuunin was undoubtedly a little enxious but, as he kissed the ANBU, he could understand the depth of the feelings the older man felt for him. This wasn't about lust, or a quick fuck. Kakashi was absolutely genuine in his desire and really did want to make love with him. Eventually Iruka broke the kiss. He was sure. He took a deep breath before addressing Kakashi directly. As their eyes met he stated very clearly, "I want to be with you. I know I want this."

Kakashi was incredibly sensitive to the chuunin's concerns. Hell, he was so sweet, so perfectly innocent, anyone would be. He stroked the chuunin's arm with his calloused fingertips as his other arm reached around his partner to hold and squeeze him tightly. "Will you let me show you?"

"Will it hurt?" It was an obvious question but Iruka needed to ask it, his brown eyes, hungry with lust, were also tinged with a little apprehension.

Kakashi's words were smooth, reassuring and honest. "A little, yes. But that's part of it. The pain soon goes and I promise you that it will feel really good."

He spoke with absolute confidence. He was certain that he could bring Iruka the most amazing pleasures. He placed a soft kiss on Iruka's full lips. Any anxiety Iruka was feeling simply dispersed as the silver haired man took control.

"Do you trust me, Iruka?" his tone was heartfelt as he gazed into the chuunin's wide brown eyes. The chuunin nodded, his nose wrinkling slightly as he did so. Iruka was like a precious gift to Kakashi, something to cherish, something to treasure. The ANBU was to be Iruka's first and he wanted it to be special.

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><p>CUT - PLEASE GO TO LJ FOR FULL VERSION<p>

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><p>Kakashi was still excited. His heart was pounding as he shifted up the bedroll so that he could face his lover. He embraced the chuunin tightly and plunged his tongue into the brunet's mouth, kissing him with a hunger, a passion that he had never felt before. Iruka responded with equal fervour.<p>

Kakashi had never really imagined making love to someone he had fallen in love with. He had always been a considerate lover and had derived a great deal of pleaure from giving. But this was different. Waves of ecstasy coursed through his body, but this wasn't just physical, the thrill of sheer lust, it was a soothing pleasure, a deep joy of being in love, of sharing his lover's body and knowing how much Iruka had enjoyed the experience. It was the best feeling in the world.

Both bodies were shimmering with sweat. Kakashi broke the kiss and pressed his forehead against the chuunin's as they caught their breaths. Resting in each other's arms, Kakashi whispered to his lover, "How was it?"

Iruka wanted to yell and shout and dance around the cave. It had been sublime. Beyond mere enjoyment, he had experienced the thrill of sheer bliss. But he smiled quietly, his eyes shining with happiness. "I don't have any words that can describe how amazing that was."

Kakashi softly brushed aside stands of the chuunin's chestnut hair which were clinging to his face, and kissed his forehead with a tenderness he never knew he could show. He pulled Iruka towards him and held him in a tight embrace. He could hear the chuunin's heart beating against his.

If this was what being in love was like, he never wanted it to end.


	15. Might His Quietus Make

Hello again. I had so wanted to make more progress on this story but RL has been unbelievably manic. I don't think I've ever been this far behind. I had wanted to get this chapter out ages ago, had wanted to transfer the lot onto LJ (just in case) and just haven't managed to do that yet. Wah. Thank you so much to everyone who is following this story, and especially those who take the time to review - it's very much appreciated. Thanks also for the PMs - it's delicious to hear from you. Here's another chapter. Usual disclaimers (I didn't invent Naruto and this is unbeta'd) apply.

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><p>Chapter 15 - Might His Quietus Make<p>

"We really need to move out now," Kakashi declared softly. "I'm well enough to travel and we need to get back to Konoha to return the scroll and explain the true facts of the mission to the Hokage."

Iruka glanced up at him as he knelt on the sandy beach, preparing the last of the instant noodles that Kakashi had procured from the Iwa village several days ago.

The chuunin nodded sagely. Deep down, he felt a little bit of regret that they had to leave. The few days they had spent together, as they both recovered from taking on the Iwa ninja, had been marvellous. Just being in each other's company, subsisting together, training, running, Iruka had even managed to catch Kakashi out with some more pranks.

And making love. All the time.

The next time they had made love, after the very first, Kakashi had suggested that Iruka should top. He wanted to show him everything, he wanted the chuunin to experience all the pleasures that Kakashi could teach him. As it turned out, Iruka was a great learner and was already on the way to becoming a very skilful lover. Thanks to Kakashi's guidance, the pair spent several golden days together enjoying each other's company and sharing each other's bodies.

Part of Iruka wanted to remain in their secret place; he had so enjoyed his time with Kakashi, but he knew that this was the only chance he would ever get to clear his name. He loved being shinobi. He was loyal to his village. He was proud that Kakashi had recognised this – pretty much from the moment they had met – and he was grateful that the elite had helped him.

But he also had conflicting feelings churning inside him. He knew that they were still in the early days of their relationship but he believed that he truly loved Kakashi. He realised that the passion he felt for the ANBU might have been the result of an enforced stay in the cave together. They had both carried out their duties to the other, caring for the other when they were sick or wounded, just as any shinobi comrade would have done. But, deep down, he knew inside himself that he had never felt this way about anyone before. Kakashi was an enigma to him; outwardly aloof and unwilling to show any emotion; but Iruka had somehow cracked through his protective shell and had also detected an empathy, sympathy and kindness. He was absolutely convinced that the feelings he felt towards the ANBU were love. And something inside him wanted to protect that love. To keep it a secret, hidden away from the outside world with all its obligations and complications. He blushed slightly as he looked up at the ANBU and revealed his thoughts. It surprised him that he was able to speak so openly.

"I almost don't want to go back. I kinda want to stay here with you. Is that wrong?" he asked, looking a little sheepish.

Kakashi understood. He walked over to the chuunin who was kneeling beside the fire preparing the food, squatted behind him and wrapped his arms around the chuunin's waist, squeezing tightly. Hugging felt so good that he couldn't understand how he hadn't realised it before now. He brushed Iruka's chestnut hair aside and kissed the back of the younger man's neck, whispering softly in his ear, "I know. I kind of feel the same way. But I want to prove – I want our village to know – that you are innocent. And just wait till I get you to a soft, warm bed. I'm getting hard just thinking of all the things I'm going to do with you."

Iruka smiled inwardly. He twisted his neck to capture the ANBU's lips in a kiss. "You're incorrigible," he murmured.

Incorrigible. That was an interesting word. How on earth would Iruka work that into his everyday conversation? Kakashi wasn't entirely sure what it meant, but worked out an impression of its meaning from the context. What he didn't know was that the Third Hokage had used it to describe Iruka's behaviour – to his face - on several occasions over the last few years.

Never mind Iruka's amazing vocabulary, Kakashi continued to kiss the chuunin's neck, hot kisses that sent flashes of pleasure through Iruka's body. He was so sensitive to Kakashi's touch. The ANBU waited. He was fairly certain that Iruka was going to want more sex. Hell, he was eighteen years old. He could get it up just by thinking about it. And the older man wasn't going to object if the chuunin decided that he was feeling frisky.

Kakashi was right. It took only a moment before Iruka spoke up, pretending to be just a little coy. "Maybe we could make love here one more time? Before we leave?"

The ANBU growled, picked Iruka up, threw him over his shoulder and made directly for the cave.

When they returned to their meal, the noodles were quite overdone, verging on soggy. Iruka was slightly upset that their dinner had been ruined. Kakashi's response made him blush.

"Well, my appetiser tasted amazing, so I'm good," the ANBU declared, licking his lips with a naughty smirk.

Iruka punched his arm. "Pervert!"

And so, after their final meal on their beach, they packed up their minimal belongings and dressed in their Konoha shinobi uniforms. Since they had spent so much time making out or making love since retrieving the scroll, they hadn't really bothered to dress for days on end. Kakashi had decided that he really rather liked Iruka's hair fallen loose at his shoulders and was slightly disappointed when he noticed the chuunin tying it back. Of course it was entirely practical, just far less aesthetically pleasing.

And as for Iruka, he tried extremely hard to hide his regret as Kakashi covered up his beautiful face with that ubiquitous black cloth mask. Iruka had grown very used to seeing that face, and especially that charming smile. And those kissable – such incredibly kissable – soft, full lips. Kakashi's ANBU dog mask had been lost during Iruka's failed attempt to retrieve the scroll, but the ANBU wasn't bothered about that. Iruka resigned himself to accepting that he could at least admire a part of Kakashi's face, especially his expressive eye, now that the porcelain mask was gone.

Iruka asked that Kakashi take custody of the scroll. The ANBU was the higher rank and it was conforming to protocol that Kakashi should take responsibility. Iruka knew that the older man would guard it with very great care, aware that the chuunin's reputation, his future career – and even his life – lay in proving his innocence.

Having checked that they had all their belongings and enough food to get them through the first day's march, they were just about to set off when the chuunin stopped suddenly. He grasped Kakashi's arm. There was something that he very much wanted to do.

"Will you wait a moment?" he asked, "You might think I'm a bit weird, but I just want to do one thing." He scoured the sandy beach in front of the cave then crouched down and selected a sharp pebble. Then he ran off into the cave. Kakashi sauntered in after him. He smiled as he saw Iruka scrawling on the cave wall. Right by the food storage area, where Obito had made his mark so many years ago, the chuunin added the names "Kakashi" and "Iruka".

Iruka didn't know anything about Obito because Kakashi hadn't told him. But he had sensed that that name was significant for Kakashi. It had somehow been connected to an important part of his life. By scratching his own name with Kakashi's he hoped that it would commemorate another part of the ANBU's life and signify the chuunin's desire to play a part in his future.

The brunet turned around as he saw Kakashi's silhouette in the cave entrance. The ANBU was watching him, smiling with his visible eye. Iruka couldn't help thinking how incredibly gorgeous he looked in his skintight ANBU uniform, the dark material clinging to his taut body, showing off the planes of his firm chest and rock hard abs. Kami, he was handsome. Everything about him was sexy.

"So what is our best route back?" Iruka asked, as he walked back towards the entrance of the cave, surveying their temporary home for the last time.

"I propose that we don't go anywhere near the usual paths back to Konoha and we especially need to avoid the Shaku mountain range. It wouldn't surprise me if the Iwa authorities are on the lookout for us, having taken on and defeated their state sanctioned gang."

Iruka nodded his agreement. Kakashi continued, "I believe that we should make our way back along the coast until we arrive at the southernmost point. Then we drop south, travel through Takigakure and then head inland straight to Northern Konoha."

Both shinobi knew that they had to be professional. The way back to Konoha was likely to be dangerous. They wouldn't be able to make love or sleep naked in each other's arms until they were safely home. Before they set off, Kakashi pulled Iruka to him. He held the chuunin in a warm embrace. Iruka squeezed him tightly. It hadn't escaped his notice that the ANBU was becoming increasingly loving towards him and how much Kakashi enjoyed the physical contact between them. He had realised right from the moment they had met that Kakashi was incredibly reserved. The younger man gazed up into mismatched eyes that were looking down at him. Kakashi's eyes curved into a smile, he pulled down his mask and then leaned in to kiss Iruka.

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><p>And so they set off. They both ran along the beach across to the far headland. At first the beach was sandy but as they passed the headland it became rockier. It made the going just that little bit slower, but they were both sure-footed and made good progress.<p>

They ran for several hours. The weather was fine, perfect for running; it was sunny, but cool and breezy, with cotton wool clouds drifting in the pale blue sky.

As evening approached the pair decided to find a suitable location to make camp for the night. Kakashi tried to assess how far they had travelled. He was unfamiliar with this particular part of the coastline, having gone inland into Iwa with Team Minato to fight their battle during the war. But both shinobi were experts in survival techniques. Kakashi made a reasonable guess as to their approximate location and decided that they had made significant progress, certainly enough to rest for the night.

The ANBU checked the direction of the wind and then he and Iruka searched for a place where they could shelter.

As they were still on the seashore, the Konoha pair set about setting up a camp. They figured it was the safest place to be. Kakashi went in search of fresh water, while Iruka went foraging for shellfish. He managed to find a number of mussels clinging to the rock pools and gathered some seaweed. Kakashi's attempt at finding fresh water was also successful. He found some nettles too – they weren't particularly full of flavour but they were incredibly nutritious – full of iron and protein. He knew how to pick them without getting stung – he simply chose the most succulent leaves from the top of the plant and pinched them really hard. He also came across some wild garlic leaves, which would add flavour to whatever meal Iruka was able to rustle up.

As Kakashi sourced the water, he surveyed the surrounding area and established that there were no settlements locally, or indeed any sign of ninja or civilians. He judged that it was safe enough to start a fire without attracting attention. He found some driftwood and used his fireball justu to get a roaring campfire going within seconds.

Iruka boiled up the mussels, garlic leaves and nettles. They needed just a few minutes - overcooked seafood and soggy vegetables would taste pretty foul. As soon as the mussels had opened in the steam, they were ready. The pair could use the pretty blue empty shells as pincers in lieu of chopsticks to extract the succulent mussel flesh. As ever, Iruka's cooking was terrific and the meal tasted delicious. Kakashi was rather looking forward to getting the chuunin back to Konoha and tasting his home cooking. He was convinced it would be great.

"Do you cook much at home?" he asked as he shifted closer to the fire.

"When I get the chance," the chuunin replied. "I like to cook. But I also like to eat out."

Kakashi grinned. "Me too. I know this great noodle bar in town…"

"Ichiraku's!" Iruka blurted, before the ANBU even had a chance to finish his sentence.

Kakashi smiled. "Yeah. Their tonkatsu ramen is really the best, isn't it?"

Iruka closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, as though imagining the wonderful scent of ramen broth. He could picture the cream coloured twists of soft noodles drowning in the steaming broth, the thin slices of succulent pork resting gently on top beside half a soft boiled egg, its soft yolk a sunflower yellow, and all garnished with a sprinkling of crisp, green negi. Kakashi laughed.

That settled it. Kakashi planned to take his lover out to Ichiraku's on their first date.

"We'll go there together when we get home, ne?"

"Are you inviting me out on a date?" Iruka asked, his eyes lighting up with anticipation.

The ANBU scratched the back of his head as hs eyes arched into crescents. "Ma…er, yes?"

Iruka loved how gauche the elite shinobi could sometimes be.

"I would really love that." Iruka looked at Kakashi with an expression that was utterly sincere. The older man smiled back at him. He reached across to the chuunin, grasped his hand and squeezed it.

The pair remained silent for a while. They sat back and savoured their meal. Both were tired from their journey and they felt relaxed just sitting together. Their silences weren't uncomfortable any more. But then Iruka brought up a subject that he had wanted to ask about. He needed to ask about it because he was coming to terms with having Kakashi as a lover – and that was amazing – but he just needed to know.

"When did you know that you were gay?" It was a direct question and deserved a direct answer.

"All my life, I guess," Kakashi replied honestly. "I never really thought about it. There was never a moment when I decided 'I like men', I just always have. Does that make sense?"

Iruka nodded slowly.

Kakashi decided not to mention that he knew that Rin had been in love with him. His feelings about his best friend were still too raw to talk about; even though he trusted Iruka and wasn't afraid to show emotion in front of him (something he could never have countenanced until a few days ago), he just wasn't ready. One day he would tell Iruka about Rin, and that thought made him happy. It felt as though he had someone in his life who he could talk to. Iruka could never be a replacement for Rin, and their relationship was entirely different, but Kakashi somehow felt some comfort knowing that there might now be someone in his life with whom he could – in time – be prepared to share his innermost thoughts, his hopes, dreams and fears.

The chuunin interrupted his train of thought with another question. Whereas it might have irritated Kakashi some days ago, he was more comfortable answering questions now.

"How many partners have you had?" Iruka wasn't sure why he was asking, because he wasn't really sure if this was something he wanted to know – was he the latest in a line of ANBU conquests or did Kakashi really take relationships seriously? But Kakashi had always been honest with him and either answered if he wanted to, or remained silent if he decided to keep his counsel. Iruka's line of questioning came from a desire that he genuinely wanted to know more about Kakashi. His feelings for his ANBU assassin had grown so strong, and this burgeoning relationship felt so right, that he wanted to know everything.

"Just a couple. There was one guy I was particularly close to. We saw each other for a couple of years, on and off, but it didn't quite work out. We're still friends though." Kakashi remembered that he really should make sure to get in touch with Shikunshi when he arrived home. He wanted to share a few beers with him. He would never, ever, let his former partner know what had really happened to his cousin, Rin, but he really wanted to see him again so that they could both remember her together. They had both loved her very much. A wave of sadness washed over him. Iruka detected it immediately and decided not to ask further questions.

Kakashi recognised this and was grateful. How did the chuunin get to be so intuitive? It came so naturally to him that it felt unfair. The ANBU decided to ask a few questions of his own.

"What about you? How many people have you slept with?"

Iruka blushed slightly. He had suspected that his line of questioning would lead to this. It was only fair that he gave a truthful answer.

"I had brief flings with a couple of kunoichi but I haven't been in a long term relationship yet. Although I would like to be," he added. "My first was after the chuunin exams at the Passing Out Party."

"The what?" Kakashi looked bemused.

Iruka rolled his eyes slightly. "You know, the Passing Out Party? You pass the chuunin grading then you pass out through sheer amounts of alcohol consumed when you realise that you have become a true Konoha shinobi and could die for the village at any time. Right?"

Kakashi still looked somewhat confused.

"You _know_," Iruka insisted. "Everybody who becomes a chuunin goes to that party and does their damndest to pop their cherry before the night is over. On the basis that you might get a B grade mission the following day and don't make it home from that."

"Er, yeah," Kakashi responded, trying not to appear totally green but unable to mask his expression, which was indicating that he was still thoroughly befuddled as to what the younger man was talking about.

"C'mon, you're not much older than me. You must know about it. Surely your graduation year did the same thing. When did you become chuunin?" he asked innocently.

"When I was six," came the deadpan reply.

Iruka's was so shocked that his mouth dropped open in surprise. Then he laughed.

"Good joke. I know you're a genius and all, but really."

Kakashi's expression was entirely earnest. "Seriously. I became chuunin at the age of six. I made jounin when I was thirteen. I never went to any of those parties."

Iruka cocked his head and observed his lover, the scar across his nose wrinkling in the most lovely way as he did so. He recalled that Kakashi had told him that he had been fast-tracked, but had had no idea quite how extraordinary the ANBU's rise through the ranks had been. Part of him wanted to laugh that this elite shinobi was so naïve that he really had no idea about how ordinary Konoha ninja studied and advanced and endeavoured. But he had already recognised, through their encounters with the Iwa shinobi, that this quiet, reserved man was truly an eccentric genius. Hell, who wouldn't be eccentric? He had become a chuunin, a fully fledged Konoha shinobi, before Iruka had even started as a student at the Academy. Another part of Iruka wanted to pull Kakashi towards him, hold him close and just embrace him – to hug away the strange and dangerous life the ANBU had led and give him something normal.

They relaxed by the fire as dusk fell. The sunset was spectacular, a wonderful display of fiery orange and yellow flames that slowly melted into the deepest blue of the night. Kakashi rested against a rock and pulled Iruka into his lap, wrapping his arms around him and softly massaging his lean belly. They sat together, Kakashi's chin resting on the chuunin's shoulder, looking out at the sea, both watching the waves lap gently at the shore. They felt peaceful.

"Are you tired?" Kakashi asked softly.

"A little, yes, but I can take first watch if you want me to."

Kakashi leaned forward and pressed his lips against the chuunin's neck. He murmured, "That's okay. I'll keep watch. You sleep."

Iruka stretched and then laid himself down on the sandy beach, curling up at right angles to the ANBU. He laid his head into Kakashi's lap and closed his eyes. The ANBU settled back, resting against the rock then gently reached behind him to pull out the copy of Icha Icha Paradise from his waist pouch. Iruka opened his eyes briefly at the movement and looked up to see what Kakashi was doing. He grinned, "You might take my eye out if you get an erection reading that ridiculous stuff."

Kakashi chortled. "If you are going to sleep with your head in my lap like that and I get an erection, I will be expecting a magnificent blow job from you."

"You're so filthy," Iruka murmured affectionately, as he closed his eyes. It took him just a few moments to drift off to sleep. It was the first time he had slept in the open since Kakashi had taken him to the cave hideout. He had never really liked wild camping in enemy territory – it was always tense and he felt he had to be on guard, even when it was his turn to sleep. But this time, being with Kakashi, he somehow felt safe. That felt good.

Kakashi looked down at the sleeping chuunin, noting his soft sighs as he breathed gently. He loved to listen to Iruka's breathing. When he was certain that the chuunin was asleep he took a brief break from the book and moved his gloved hand to pull the hair tie away gently from those soft brown strands. He brought the tie to his nose, and inhaled Iruka's scent. Everything about the chuunin was amazing to him. Then he picked up his book and resumed reading, stroking the younger man's long hair with his other hand.

He was fully alert. He was used to being on watch and was capable of getting by on stupidly few hours of sleep. But somehow this was different. He was ready to take on any enemy who chanced upon them and yet he felt calm and relaxed.

He leaned back and stretched out. A few hours had passed and, if his was being strict, it was really Iruka's responsibility to take on the night watch. But Kakashi was still awake and, as he looked down upon the sleeping chuunin, his long eyelashes sweeping into a curve, Kakashi decided to let him slumber. He'd be completely refreshed when he awoke and that would be a good thing.

It was a peaceful night. The half moon was glowing in partially cloudy sky, illuminating the shoreline. Kakashi could hear the waves lapping gently on the beach. He would miss living near the sea.

He heard some sounds from some distance away. It sounded like animals, probably dogs barking. His thoughts turned to the pack of hounds he had encountered outside the cave a few days ago. That pug was a sweet little thing. He hoped that its paw had healed.

When Iruka awoke dawn was beginning to break. He stretched out as consciousness returned to him and blinked a couple of times as he realised that he wasn't in the cave, but had been sleeping soundly beside Kakashi. He looked up and saw the glow of golden hour, that precious time in the morning when the light was fantastic, the glow of the yellow sun emerging from the indigo horizon to welcome the new day. He glanced up to see Kakashi looking down at him, his visible eye curved into a smile.

"Baka. It's well past time I should have taken watch," the younger man protested sleepily.

Kakashi stroked his hair. "It's okay, I'm not tired," he replied honestly. "Besides, I liked watching you sleep. It's cute."

"I'm not cute," Iruka retorted, pulling a face that Kakashi considered made him look even more adorable.

"Yeah, you are." Kakashi paused briefly. "I'm going to grab a couple of hours' kip now. Is that okay with you? Will you have breakfast for me when I wake up?" he asked, with a wink.

"In your dreams," the chuunin joked.

"If you're making breakfast in my dreams," Kakashi grinned, "you'll be naked and hot, serving me..."

Iruka swatted his silver crowned head before he had a chance to continue. Of course he was going to prepare breakfast for the ANBU, but there was no way he was going to let him know that. "Go to sleep," he said softly, rubbing the ANBU's arm as he did so. "I guess you're going to make me run for many miles later today, so you'll need loads of energy to keep up with me."

Kakashi kissed the chuunin very briefly, then settled down on the beach to catch just a couple of hours' shut-eye.

Iruka prepared them a quick breakfast and then packed up their things. He watched over the sleeping ANBU until it was time for them to set off again. He woke Kakashi gently, by wrapping his arms around him and kissing his neck. The older man was a light sleeper when out in unknown enemy territory and responded with a soft moan. He roused immediately, and they ate the food that Iruka had prepared.

The chuunin then removed all traces of their camp decided that it was time to move out.

As Kakashi turned to leave, Iruka stopped him briefly. "Hey, wait a moment," he said, "There's something on the your shoulder."

He brushed a tiny insect from the ANBU's uniform.

"What was it?" Kakashi asked.

"Don't know. Just a bug, I think."

Kakashi frowned. It was just a hunch, but he was beginning to feel a little uneasy.

Then they set out again, towards home.


	16. And Lose the Name of Action

Hello. Er… sorry. *Looks sheepish* I knew I was running behind with the last chapter but this one is unbelievably late. I really, really wanted to get this written and posted weeks ago but life just got in the way. Wah! I really appreciate the reviews/faves/alerts/PMs I've received – thank you so much for reading this story and for getting in touch.

Without further ado…

Warnings for bad language and the usual disclaimers (I didn't invent Naruto and this is unbeta'd) apply.

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><p>Chapter 16 - And Lose the Name of Action<p>

It was well into the afternoon and the Konoha pair had been running all morning. They were maintaining a brisk pace but had moved inland and both of them were missing the fresh sea air and the soft breezes that rolled in from the ocean. They had reached the southernmost point of the Iwa coastline and their plan was now to head due South until they arrived back at their home village.

The further inland they headed, the more dangerous the journey was likely to be. They had to pass through Takigakure country and, although Fire Country was on reasonable terms with them diplomatically, both Leaf shinobi were fully aware that they might encounter rogue ninja at any time. They knew they had to be extra cautious because Iruka was potentially a target for assassination based on his official, albeit erroneous, rogue status.

In fact Sarutobi had not put Iruka's name into the Bingo Book – he had simply ordered Kakashi, and later Ibiki and Shibi when the ANBU failed to return in a reasonable timescale, to complete a mission. In many ways it was the Hokage's way of expressing his sadness at Iruka's apparent defection and his fondness for the chuunin. He had tried so hard to console the young boy whose parents had been killed during the Nine Tails' rampage; if nothing else it was a mark of respect to Iruka's parents, Kaigara and Jima. If Iruka was to be killed, the Hokage wanted it to be at the hands of a Konoha shinobi. It would have been far easier simply to let a contract rather than send out precious resources on a specific mission; after all the ninja he had assigned could have been earning money for the village's coffers, but that was not Sarutobi's way. If Iruka had to die, he would prefer that one of his comrades, acting on orders, should carry out the deed - rather than allow the chuunin's assassination to take place at the hands of a potentially vicious and unscrupulous mercenary.

But neither Kakashi nor Iruka were aware of Sarutobi's human approach to his dilemma. As far as they were concerned Iruka was definitely a target, and there was a distinct possibility that Kakashi might now be considered rogue too. They were right to exercise the greatest caution as they made their way home.

They continued on their journey. The topography was excellent. The area was generally forested which afforded them good cover and the terrain was flat and with a soft, mossy ground surface which was bright green but ideal for running. And there was enough shelter from the trees to protect them from the sun which was already beating down upon them. They were making good progress until about a couple of hours inland when Kakashi stopped suddenly. He put out his arm to alert Iruka, who had been running alongside him, to halt. He indicated to keep quiet. The chuunin complied instantly.

Kakashi signalled silently that he thought he had heard something. The pair waited. The noise was obviously some distance away and Iruka was impressed that Kakashi's listening skills were so keen. Soon enough the chuunin could hear the sounds as well - a kind of rustling in the foliage a few hundred yards away. He glanced up at Kakashi, who was staring at a group of tall bushes. He was pretty sure that there were no shinobi in the vicinity and was slightly puzzled as to what the source of the noise might be.

Before long, a pack of hounds emerged from behind a large bush. They were a motley bunch, led by a miniature pug puppy. Iruka froze. He was slightly distrustful of dogs and was worried that they might be nin-ken. He glanced over at Kakashi and was surprised to notice that the ANBU had a small grin on his face. He walked forwards, slowly, towards the pack. Concerned at the older man's apparent overconfidence Iruka grabbed his wrist and hissed, "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

Kakashi's eye arched into a smile as he glanced back at the chuunin. "It's okay. I know this bunch." As he approached the dogs they sauntered over towards him, their tails wagging. The ANBU immediately looked for the puppy and was very pleased to see that he was no longer limping. He knelt down and picked up the tiny dog. He rolled the puppy onto his back, cradling him in his pale hands, and examined the paw that had been injured. It had healed beautifully. He tickled the pup's tummy and scratched his ears. He could feel the pug's tail start to way. If he'd been a cat he would have been purring.

"You know these dogs?" Iruka asked, in a bemused tone, his eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, I came across them on the beach, when you went back to the Iwa village on your own that time."

Iruka blushed slightly, feeling a little embarrassed about that episode.

"Are they nin-ken?"

"I think so," Kakashi replied. "I can sense a good deal of chakra."

"Yeah, seems so. But who do you think they belong to? Who is their summoner?"

"I really don't know," the ANBU shrugged. "They're friendly enough though."

Iruka nodded. He moved forward tentatively to hold out his hand to one of the dogs, one with tan fur and a pointed nose. It licked his fingers with its lolloping tongue. Then the other hounds slowly surrounded him and sniffed at him in an entirely curious way. Even the big bulldog was a giant softy. The chuunin smiled. Kakashi was right, they were a sociable bunch.

"They seem to like you too," Kakashi commented.

He paused briefly. The ANBU considered that it would be reasonable for them to have a break right now. It seemed to be a good opportunity to rest. They had been making good progress towards home, but needed to have enough stamina to fight, should they come across shinobi who might be seeking to assassinate Iruka, or any rogue ninja they might happen to chance upon. Kakashi's top priority was to get the chuunin back to their village and to get his name cleared.

The pair took a breather, lying side-by-side on the mossy ground in the shady forest, as they watched the dogs. Their initial canine curiosity had waned and the pack wandered off, although Kakashi noticed, through detecting their chakra, that they had not gone entirely and were maintaining a discreet distance to the Konoha pair.

Both Kakashi and Iruka really wanted to hug each other. To spend hour upon hour kissing and exploring each other's bodies; making out and making love. To lie together naked, each feeling the softness and warmth of the other's skin, as they had done just a few days ago. But they knew that that was impossible. Neither even contemplated bringing the subject up with the other. They maintained an agonising professionalism as they lay on the ground, taking advantage of the rest they had been afforded.

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><p>Eventually Kakashi decided that he and Iruka should start out again. He got up to his feet and patted the chuunin's shoulder. Iruka leapt up and they raced off once more.<p>

They ran for several more hours. As they moved further inland, Kakashi was beginning to feel increasingly uneasy. They weren't close to Konoha and this was likely to be the most dangerous part of their journey. The nearer their home village, the greater the concentration of shinobi would be. And all potentially with an undertaking to kill Iruka.

As they progressed through the shady forest, Kakashi's sharp senses were suddenly overwhelmed by a sensation of foreboding danger. Worse, it seemed to be coming from two different directions. He could detect chakra – large quantities of chakra – and it worried him. What bothered him more was that both somehow seemed vaguely familiar.

He froze. He held out his arm to halt Iruka's progress once more and the chuunin stopped dead in his tracks, instantly masking his chakra. Kakashi was impressed at how alert Iruka was and how quickly he responded to commands – the ANBU genuinely considered him to be a fine shinobi.

Kakashi assessed the situation. He could detect chakra from the south and chakra from the west. The chakra from the south was closer to them but presence in the western direction was more likely to be dangerous as it would have come from enemy territory. He made a decision and turned to Iruka.

"You can sense it, right?" he whispered, almost imperceptibly. The chuunin nodded. Now they had stopped and he had the opportunity to assess the situation, he became fully aware of a potentially threatening presence. He was really impressed at Kakashi's remarkable abilities.

"Okay. I need you to hide. Keep your chakra masked as much as you can and if anyone approaches you, whatever you do, don't reveal yourself or engage, unless you are attacked. I will go and investigate the threat in the west." The chuunin nodded once more, ready and willing to accept whatever command was issued.

"I'll find you later. Take care."

Kakashi vanished.

As he left the chuunin, he somehow felt that he wanted to tell Iruka that he loved him. But he didn't. Now wasn't the time – he had to cast his feelings aside. They had to be practical and efficient and absolutely ready for a battle.

Iruka followed the instructions he had been issued and looked around for a suitable hiding place. He was grateful for the leafy trees casting feathery shadows upon the forest floor. They would make it easier for him to conceal himself.

He decided to climb a tree. It enabled him to get a better view and would give him the advantage if he needed to ambush whoever was approaching. Deciding against using his chakra to cling to the rough and crinkly brown bark, he shimmied up the tree trunk in seconds. As he settled into his hiding place he looked down and spotted hundreds, thousands, of insects swarming on the forest floor like a flash flood, rolling in waves as they honed in on their target.

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><p>Kakashi materialised within a few hundred metres of the chakra source that had been approaching them from the west. He immediately masked his own chakra, leaped up to the tallest branches of the nearest tree and waited. He wanted to be in a position where he could attack whoever was approaching if necessary. He was aware that both he and Iruka were potential targets and this worried him. He wondered whether he had done the right thing by leaving Iruka alone, but his instincts told him that they were better off splitting up and that the ANBU could at least investigate the potential enemy. Kakashi had teleportation abilities and could return to Iruka in a flash.<p>

This was the first time they had been apart in several days. It felt odd. Kakashi felt a churning sensation in his stomach and he realised that it was worry. And maybe even fear. He wasn't afraid for himself of course; he'd been in far more dangerous situations than this. But he found himself terribly afraid that something awful might happen to Iruka. He was beginning to realise quite how strong his feelings for the chuunin had become.

Maybe he should have said something before they parted?

He waited. The unknown person or persons had halted, at least temporarily. They were probably assessing the situation – it was almost certainly connected with them figuring out that the Konoha pair had split up. Which might mean that this enemy could have the ability to detect and trace chakra. Kakashi's concern deepened as every minute passed. He hoped, desperately, that the threat from the south would turn out to be of no consequence and that Iruka would remain safe.

Suddenly Kakashi's sharp hearing caught the sound of a muffled cry. His heart sank. There was no doubt about it, that was Iruka's voice. The ANBU had to make a snap decision: whether continue his investigation or go to his comrade's – his lover's - assistance. It was a strangely straightforward choice to make. His personal feelings cast aside, Kakashi decided.

It was simple. His priority _had_ to be to get back to Iruka.

He teleported close to the spot where he had left chuunin but this time he made sure that he landed inside the canopy of a tree. He surveyed the area beneath him. Iruka wasn't there, but Kakashi expected that to be the case. He had trusted the younger man to follow his instructions. He waited momentarily, to establish where the chuunin might be. His keen senses detected that Iruka had indeed been located by those shinobi who had been approaching from the south. He stealthily leapt from tree to tree, silently approaching the area where he knew that they were located. Eventually they came into view.

Keeping his chakra masked to absolute minimum levels, Kakashi observed the scene before him. He could see Iruka, his body bound by chakra wire, lying on the ground and writhing in pain. Standing over him were two shinobi – one very tall, the other's face seemed to be concealed by the tall collar of his large anorak. The shady trees made it difficult to identify their features, but Kakashi's realised immediately that Iruka had come across two Konoha ninja who were clearly looking for him. The tall ninja was standing over him, uttering sharp words at the chuunin, who looked defiant, although Kakashi has seen that expression before and knew, deep down that, despite his bravura, Iruka was scared. The ANBU decided to intervene immediately. He could stop this.

He _had _to stop this.

He teleported to a tree closest to the group. He immediately recognised the Konoha ninja who had been hunting them – Shibi and Ibiki, known for their tracking and interrogation abilities respectively. The Hokage had clearly sent further shinobi after Iruka when he had realised that Kakashi had not returned from his mission. The ANBU realised that he was likely to be in trouble too, unless he could – extremely quickly – convince his comrades that both he and Iruka were innocent and loyal to their village.

Ibiki hadn't noticed Kakashi's presence. Towering about the chuunin laying on the ground he raised his voice as he started to interrogate him. "You are a traitor. We have been ordered to kill you."

Iruka looked up at his interrogator. He looked dazed and was obviously very stressed, but he remained calm although his speech was slurred. "Whatever you read about the mission in the report, you need to know the truth. I remained behind to try to retrieve the scroll which I believe contained important security information."

"And where is the scroll?" Ibiki's voice was low and threatening.

"I don't have it on me right now," Iruka gasped.

Kakashi couldn't believe that Ibiki was attempting to question Iruka in the middle of the forest. What an idiot. Did he have any idea how vulnerable they all were out there? Were they not aware of another shinobi presence in the vicinity? He glanced at Shibi, who was looking uncomfortable. The older ninja had clearly detected a shinobi presence as soon as he had teleported after abandoning his investigation and had been scanning the tree in order to see if he could spot him. It was hardly surprising – the ANBU was fully aware of the Aburame clan's remarkable, and not a little creepy, affinity with insects. He knew Shibi by reputation and trusted him. He didn't know Ibiki other than through village hearsay, which generally indicated that he was a hot-shot and the Hokage had him potentially lined up to work in T&I in future. You had to be a bit of a sadist to do that kind of stuff.

Kakashi leapt to the ground and strode across the forest as silently as he could, his intention to silence Ibiki. Shibi noticed his presence immediately and glanced across at the ANBU. He recognised him as the young genius Kakashi Hatake and knew him to be Black Ops as well. So much for Kakashi's ANBU status. His hair was always going to be far too distinctive to allow him true anonymity.

Kakashi immediately pushed a somewhat surprised Ibiki aside and rushed to Iruka, who was completely bound by the chakra wire and clearly in some pain. The wire was too tight and was beginning to cut into his flesh. Kakashi could also sense that the chuunin's ability to use his chakra was already significantly weakened. The ANBU started to tug at the ropes with his nimble fingers but he was bound too tightly.

"Don't touch him," Ibiki growled.

The ANBU turned his head to look up and glared at the interrogator. "You fucking idiot," he hissed. "Don't you realise this is the last place you should be interrogating anyone?"

Ibiki shrugged, a look of indifference on his face. As far as he was concerned he had been ordered to kill Iruka. He had been ready to do it the moment he had lassoed him with chakra cord and pulled him from the tree where he had been hiding. Iruka was lucky that he had managed to twist his body as he landed and that he had fallen onto a soft, mossy surface. But the pain from the chakra wire immediately sapped him of his energy.

Kakashi issued an order. Of all the Konoha shinobi he was the highest rank. "Release him, Ibiki. He is innocent."

Ibiki didn't acknowledge the order. His voice was deep and low as he stated clearly, "Umino is a traitor. We received direct orders from the Hokage that he should be killed."

Kakashi's visible eye narrowed. He replied immediately in a dangerous voice, "As did I."

He exhaled slowly. Kakashi was worried that Ibiki might act too swiftly. He simply didn't trust him. "Ibiki, listen to me. I had orders to assassinate this chuunin. I held a knife to Iruka's throat. I had seconds to make a call as to whether I should kill him. I didn't. Believe me, he is innocent. I am carrying the security information in that scroll right now. It is safe with me and will be returned to Konoha. Iruka remained behind to safeguard it..."

The ANBU wanted to explain that the mission report had been entirely inaccurate and written by Iruka's comrades who were, at best, incompetent and, at worst, malicious. But he didn't have time to finish before he heard an extraordinarily raucous bellow.

He exhaled slowly. Things were going from bad to worse very quickly indeed.

Not only did he recognise the sound of that booming voice, he knew that there was only one ninja in the shinobi world who would have the audacity to approach any other ninja without stealth, to stride towards the enemy with confidence and bravura.

A ninja who had the ability to drain chakra using his eyes.

Kakashi hadn't been convinced that he'd actually managed to kill Kemono. He was certain that he had incapacitated him. Contained him for long enough to allow the Konoha pair to escape with the scroll, which was precisely what they had needed to do.

Kakashi's mind was rapidly processing the best course of action. Much as he wanted to, and in spite of Ibiki's stubborn observance of the instructions he had been given, the ANBU couldn't protect all the Konoha shinobi. He had a choice: to take Kemono out or rescue Iruka. But the very least he could do would be to warn his comrades about the brute's considerable skills so that they could defend themselves as well.

He turned to the Konoha pair. This was about Leaf shinobi working together. Kakashi could tell that Shibi was paying close attention as he explained exactly what they were about to be confronted by. Both Ibiki and his partner had been briefed about this but weren't aware of all the details, due to the deficient nature of the mission report. The ANBU described Kemono's unique and utterly horrifying ability to them.

But inside his heart was yearning to help Iruka.

To protect him.

To hold him.

To comfort him.

Maintaining his professionalism was one of the hardest things Kakashi had had to do. The feelings churning inside of him, the sweet, sweet pain of pure love could compare with the gut-wrenching agony he had felt as he had left Obito, his best friend, to die in enemy territory.

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><p>Iruka was feeling groggy. He had followed Kakashi's instructions to the letter and had found himself a place to hide. He climbed a tall, capacious tree, with a leafy green canopy and hid himself from view, aiming to observe any shinobi that were likely to be in the area. As competent as ever, he had scampered up the trunk using his excellent climbing skills, avoiding the use of chakra in order to evade detection.<p>

However, he didn't realise that his pursuers had a unique means of locating him. Once hidden on one of the branches, behind the shock of broad green leaves, he had looked down and spotted a stream of insects scurrying along the forest floor with ominous purpose. Iruka had never seen bugs behave this way before and thought it to be curious phenomenon. He observed how they scuttled along the floor, groups of them branching off, then rejoining the main cluster, like grains of sand on a dune, shifting in the wind. He also noticed that they seemed to have some sort of chakra, although it seemed unfamiliar. Eventually the insects started swarming around the tree.

The chuunin was concentrating so hard on trying to understand how this strange chakra was working and how the insects were interacting with each other that it was very late when he spotted two shinobi approaching the tree he was hiding in. He strained his eyes to see if he could make out the insignia on their hitae-ate. He thought he could see the familiar swirl of the leaf emblem.

He had masked his chakra to the best of his ability but had a sinking feeling inside. He was fairly sure that they both of them knew where he was located.

He felt like prey.

He didn't want to be captured like this, particularly when Kakashi wasn't with him. The ANBU was his one hope of proving his innocence. Without Kakashi to speak up for him there was a huge risk that he would simply be assassinated. He decided to create a distraction. He summoned two clones and made them leap off into two different trees, hoping that his pursuers would take on a clone each, while he remained behind. It was a good idea and also one that complied with Kakashi's instructions not to engage and to keep himself out of harm's way if possible.

The plan worked temporarily. Iruka observed the shinobi pair start to pursue the clones. However, Shibi's insects were just too tenacious. They could absolutely detect where the real Iruka was and it wasn't long before his pursuers closed in on him again; one approached him directly, the other from behind the tree.

Before the chuunin could begin to formulate another plan Ibiki had shot out a fine line of chakra wire which wound itself around Iruka's foot. With one sharp tug the tall man pulled Iruka to the ground. The chuunin twisted as he fell and narrowly avoided smashing his head on a rock as his body hit the ground with a thud. He thought he may have cried out. His head fell back and hit the mossy forest floor. He didn't lose consciousness but he was most definitely stunned. He felt woozy and confused, blood pounding in his ears. He took a deep breath and succumbed to his capture.

Ibiki then tied him up further, ensuring that escape would be impossible. The chuunin hated chakra wire. All shinobi were taught about its use at the Academy as part of their training. It was evil stuff, specifically designed to prevent shinobi using jutsu, but it also caused great pain to anyone bound by it. It had the same effect as Kemono's chakra draining ability but was slower acting. It had been developed to contain shinobi, not to kill them.

The chuunin was feeling dazed. He had been vaguely aware that his captors were Konoha shinobi but was not fully sure who exactly they were. He looked up to try to ascertain their identities but his vision was unfocussed and blurry. One of them was shouting at him. He tried to respond – to defend himself and to justify his position - but the words felt vague.

Waves of relief flooded over him when he realised that Kakashi had arrived. He _knew _that his lover would stand up for him. Exhausted, he closed his eyes as he let Kakashi take control. He listened as the ANBU started to explain what had happened. He felt calm now, peaceful. He trusted Kakashi completely.

Then he heard the bloodcurdling, and oh so familiar, yell. Iruka's heart started pounding as a wash of adrenaline flooded through his body. He tensed. He didn't need to open his eyes. They were all completely fucked.

Iruka could hear that the tone of Kakashi's voice was becoming more urgent. Shinobi convention was such that Ibiki and Shibi should have to accept the ANBU's rank and comply with his instructions.

Shibi was experienced. He knew Kakashi by reputation and respected his authority, despite his young age. But Ibiki was bullish. A stickler for the rules and for carrying out his orders, particularly because they had been given directly from the Hokage, he simply wasn't listening properly to the ANBU's commands, and was far too focussed on carrying out his mission. In other, less dangerous, circumstances, he would have made a fine interrogator as he was persistent and fierce. But these traits weren't helping the situation. Right now, his cynical behaviour was actively working against Kakashi. Ibiki wouldn't release Iruka and he didn't realise how much that put them all in danger.

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><p>It all happened so quickly. They heard the booming voice, then saw a wall of earth, ten metres high and fifty metres across plough through the forest. Whole trees bent low as the wall passed across them, their branches and leaves swishing across the ground, as though they were bowing reverently to a mighty force. Kakashi knew that the Iwa leader was positioned somewhere behind that barrier but had no means of detecting exactly where on that vast pile of soil he was located. He wasn't alone either. It was a clever ploy. The Konoha shinobi had no idea how many enemy ninja were located inside the mass of earth that was rapidly advancing towards them.<p>

The Iwa leader's chakra detecting skills were unsurpassed. He knew precisely where each of the shinobi were located and, especially, which of them was Kakashi and which was Iruka. He had a strategy.

Kakashi felt sick. He recognised that, despite Kemono's bravura and audacious attack, he had actually formulated a cunning plan.

The brute had assessed the scene before him from behind the wall and knew exactly what to do. The silver-haired ninja was capable of teleport and could easily escape his deadly gaze. But that lousy rat Iruka was lying on the ground, motionless, and with already depleted chakra reserves. Even if he couldn't defeat Kakashi, Kemono knew that – at the very least - he would be able to kill Iruka.

Kemono used a jutsu to propel him to the top of the earth wall in an instant, eyes already sparkling. Standing astride a great mound of earth the hulk of a ninja located Iruka instantly and raised his massive arm, focussing his deadly power at the chuunin.

Iruka's body, already weakened by the fall and the agonising chakra wire, went limp.


	17. The Slings and Arrows

Hello. *Looks very sheepish indeed* Sorry it's been so long, especially as I left things on a cliffhanger last time. You know that white noise you get on TV screens when they haven't been tuned? The black and white dots whizzing furiously all over the screen and the crackling, hissy, fuzzy noise? That kinda sums up my life at the moment. I didn't manage to write a single word on this story for over a month. Wah.

Without revealing spoilers, followers of the manga will know that this story now falls very much into the realms of 'alternative universe'. I have mixed feelings about the way canon is developing but I won't ramble on about them. Thank you so much to everyone who is following this and for all the messages, faves and alerts, especially those who take the time to review as it is always completely brilliant to hear from you. Usual disclaimers apply. No particular warnings for this one, there's a bit of violence but it's not too graphic.

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><p>Chapter 17- The Slings and Arrows<p>

Adrenaline kicked in. Kakashi's heart was pounding but his head was clear. Time slowed for him as his genius mind processed the options before him. It was a skill he had learned as a boy; to control the chemicals churning inside his body, the fight or flight instinct automatically triggered as part of any human's natural defence mechanism. Shinobi ability to pause, however briefly, and to assess, evaluate and act, even in the most dangerous of circumstances, was fundamental to their survival.

He looked around him, eyes flitting quickly between all the shinobi in his vision. He listened, he sniffed, he used all his senses to establish what means he could use to resolve the awful situation. His heart was breaking inside, desperately hoping amongst hope that Iruka was strong enough to survive Kemono's assault for just a few seconds more. Kakashi realised that he had never truly known the agony of love until now.

And how much it hurt even to contemplate that he might lose it.

Kemono was standing on top of the earth wall he had created and two Iwa shinobi that Kakashi didn't recognise stood alongside him.

The ANBU assessed the situation quickly and logically. In a matter of seconds he had decided on the course of action he should take.

Kakashi trusted Shibi. He did not trust Ibiki yet. He had no reason to believe that the tall man was acting against him, but Iruka's interrogator was too much of a stickler for the rules to be of use right now. He had been assigned an assassination mission so it meant nothing to him if another ninja finished off the job for him. Or did it? As Kakashi observed him, he could detect a modicum of doubt in the other man's demeanour, especially now that the Konoha group were being threatened.

As he developed his strategy, Kakashi suddenly detected another potential source of assistance. He sensed another source of chakra; it was familiar and he knew it to be friendly, and it was something that he might be able to use to his advantage. It was a long shot, but it could just work.

His priority was to assist Iruka. What he wanted to do was to scoop the chuunin into his arms, hold him tight and teleport them both back to their cave by the seashore, whereupon they would spend the rest of their days together far away from the politics of their village and the harsh realities and obligations of shinobi life. But soppy, romantic dreams had no place in their violent and dangerous world. Loyalty was everything, both to Kakashi and to Iruka. They were inextricably tied to their village; their hearts, their minds, their souls. Both carried the Will of Fire deep within them, a flame that burned unceasingly - it was part of their very being. Kakashi was going to save Iruka and take on the enemy. He was going to protect his comrade – _all _his Leaf comrades – using everything within his power.

He had no idea if Iruka was still alive. The chuunin had been severely injured by Ibiki, bound by excruciatingly painful chakra wire and Kemono was currently focussing his deadly gaze upon the young man, with the express purpose of killing him. But Kakashi knew Iruka to be strong and resilient. He had faced this foe on a number of occasions and had always pulled through. Iruka was tough, a fighter – he wouldn't simply give in and succumb to the sweet release of death. That would be too easy. But he was in serious danger and his life force was, quite literally, being drained from him.

Emotions aside, Kakashi had to be practical. He had to do two things immediately to help the man he had fallen in love with: to contain Ibiki and, more importantly, stop Kemono, at least temporarily, until he could formulate a plan to defeat him for good.

Kemono first. The brute was focussed on draining Iruka's chakra, eyes sparkling, mouth curved into a satisfied grin, as he held his gaze upon the Leaf chuunin, lying prostrate on the mossy ground and fading fast.

Kakashi needed time. He performed a handseal, raised his fingers to his lips and generated a giant fireball which shot yellow and crimson flames towards the hulk of a man and his weasly lackeys, standing astride the earth mound. The Iwa ninja standing beside Kemono leapt off the top of the wall immediately, pulling their leader down with them.

Next, the ANBU had to contain Ibiki. He didn't believe the tall man to be malicious, just too focussed on the mission and he was not flexible enough to adapt to their predicament. Kakashi correctly surmised that Ibiki's attitude was due to a lack of experience but right now he didn't have time to remonstrate with him, or appeal to his sense of reason. Ibiki was actively working against them. Iruka needed rescuing right now and Kakashi needed help to stop the tall man if he was also going to defend the whole team against further attacks from Kemono. Kakashi whistled, a shrill sound that penetrated through the forest. He was taking a chance but somehow he had a hunch that his plan might work.

He smiled beneath his mask as he heard a rustling sound approaching. Sure enough, running across the forest floor, a pack of hounds scrambled towards the sound of the whistle. As they came into view, Kakashi nodded his head, beckoning in the direction of Ibiki.

Before the tall man had any time to react he was surrounded by the pack, growling and snarling, the shorter dogs snapping at his knees and the medium sized eyeing him menacingly as they circled him. The hulking great grey bulldog had possibly gone a bit far. Towering over the tall man, the bulldog sank his teeth into Ibiki's head, great globs of slobber dripping over his dark grey hair. That had to hurt.

Hell, the big creature's enthusiasm was such that, moments later, blood started to stream down Ibiki's face. The wounds weren't deep, but the head bleeds easily. He was going to have scars from that attack, though, and the poor blighter's hair was already thinning.

Ibiki yelled and immediately dropped the chakra wire. It fell to the ground in a silvery coil, freeing Iruka from his bondage. The chuunin didn't move however. Kakashi couldn't tell whether he was still alive. He opened the sharingan. Keeping the earth mound firmly within his peripheral vision in case of further Iwa attack, he generated another fireball and shot it towards the wall, the flames licking at the top of the earth, a puff of smoke rising into the air. Kakashi figured that a sporadic flame would prevent Kemono and his gang attempting another assault, at least for the moment. Kakashi needed enough time to examine Iruka.

He rushed to the chuunin's side. Iruka was unconscious, his body limp, his skin clammy. Kakashi's heart was racing but outwardly he remained calm. He pressed his forefingers to his lover's neck. He couldn't feel a pulse. He took a deep breath. Then he rested his head on Iruka's chest and listened. He could detect the faint flutter of a heartbeat. He exhaled slowly. Iruka was alive, but only just.

His next priority was to ensure that no further harm came to his lover. He decided on a plan. He picked the chuunin up, tenderly, then observed the dogs who were still clinging on to an increasingly pissed Ibiki. The ANBU grinned at the little pug puppy.

The pup, his sharp little teeth maintaining a vice-like grip on Ibiki's ankle, glanced up at Kakashi. The ANBU thought he detected what appeared to be a canine smirk on the miniature pug's face. Kakashi flicked his fingers, indicating to the dogs that they should withdraw, which they did, but they continued to encircle Ibiki, ready to attack should their new master require them to do so.

The ANBU's attention was fully focussed on his lover. He rapidly made some hand seals and generated a clone of Iruka from a log that was lying on the ground nearby. He picked it up and placed in precisely the place that Iruka had fallen. The copy would have no chakra signature but that was part of the plan. When Kemono next emerged from behind his earth barrier, he would look at the chakra-less 'corpse' and assume that he had killed Iruka.

Kakashi then turned to address Shibi and Ibiki. The tall man was looking incredibly irritated but was managing to mask his anger and calm down. Those few helpless moments when he was being confronted by the dogs had forced him to reassess the situation. He realised that Kakashi had been right to take the strategy he had taken – the Leaf ninja were under attack and in immediate danger. He now fully understood Kemono's horrific power and was willing to accept and comply with Kakashi's leadership. He looked a little sheepish beneath his stern gaze.

The ANBU issued instructions.

"I need you to keep that brute occupied for a few minutes. I have to get Iruka away from here. If the Iwa attack him again, he's not going to make it." Kakashi's voice was firm yet calm, a reflection of how a good leader he was. "I'll be back very soon."

Both Shibi and Ibiki nodded their assent. Kakashi wondered what they might do while he was gone. He had an idea that Shibi's unique ability to manipulate insects might prove to be an interesting diversion.

The ANBU beckoned and the dogs followed him, trotting happily at his heels, tails wagging.

Kakashi ran swiftly through the forest, holding Iruka tight in his arms, with the hounds in pursuit, easily keeping up with his pace. He needed the chuunin to be safe and well out of range of the Iwa ninja - and he needed Iruka's presence to be undetectable. If the brute could detect even the smallest trace of any remaining chakra he would have no hesitation in killing him off.

A few hundred metres away from the Iwa constructed wall Kakashi found a small, shady grove. It was surrounded by trees and leafy bushes and the ground was mossy. The ANBU gently laid the chuunin onto the soft green surface, tenderly cupping the back of his head in his hand as he let it come to rest. The dogs surrounded them, wagging their tails and sniffing around the pair curiously.

Kakashi turned to the dogs. It felt a bit weird speaking to them as though they were human but he was fully aware that they were nin-ken and was pretty sure that they would understand him. They did. They had demonstrated a loyalty to him and he trusted them. He knelt down as they surrounded him. He patted the little pup's head affectionately.

"I need you to guard him," his voice was soft. "I want you all to circle him and keep moving. Please protect him. I will be back soon."

The dogs acknowledged his command and immediately surrounded the unconscious chuunin. Kakashi's plan was sound. Even if Kemono could detect the presence of the nin-ken, the fact that they were moving and interweaving would hopefully cause a confusing pattern of multiple chakras, disguising Iruka's presence.

Kakashi teleported back to the earth wall. He was confident that Iruka was as safe as he could be - for the time being. The chuunin had been severely weakened and Kakashi still very much feared for his life. But there was nothing more he could do until he had defeated Kemono and his gang. When he returned he saw Ibiki and Shibi standing before the wall, completely focussed on anticipating any Iwa attack.

Kakashi patted them both on the shoulder as he materialised behind them. Ibiki jumped slightly; he was clearly on edge. He'd managed to wipe away some of the blood that had been dripping down his face; it was smeared across his gaunt cheeks and had dried into dark brown blotches.

Kakashi addressed him, "You okay?" The tone of his voice was quiet but conciliatory.

The tall man nodded. He'd had time to reflect on his actions and had resolved to himself not to be such a hot-head in future.

"Is Iruka okay?" Ibiki asked with genuine concern.

"He's alive. But barely." Kakashi's tone was grim. He paused briefly. Before the Konoha ninja took on Kemono and his Iwa team, the ANBU felt the need to settle the matter of Iruka's apparent defection.

"Both of you, please listen. You need to know that Iruka is innocent. He remained in Iwa in order to protect his colleagues and allow them to get them home to Konoha. He has faced the thug on the other side of that wall on a number of occasions and had his chakra drained many times. We need to defeat this monster and get back home."

He paused. "Any objections?"

Both shinobi shook their heads, determined expressions on their faces. Kakashi continued, "Right, I need you to help me."

The ANBU didn't really have a strategy. He realised that he needed to lure the Iwa ninja out and wanted to know what information his comrades had gleaned. Then he could work out the best course of action.

"What have they been doing?" he asked.

Shibi and Ibiki had been busy in Kakashi's absence. They had decided to determine how many enemies they were facing. Ibiki had been observing the earth wall and throwing a strategic shuriken anytime anyone appeared to be making moves to attack.

Meanwhile, Shibi had been establishing precisely how many Iwa ninja were hiding behind their defensive wall. He had sent several small swarms of insects across the earth wall. He was just about to receive feedback. As the tiny bugs returned to him, making contact with his flesh, he concentrated on communicating with them and then turned to address Kakashi.

"There are five of them. A big guy, the one who has the ability to drain chakra, and the two others we saw, right? And flanking them are two further ninja on each side."

Kakashi was impressed. The symbiosis that the Aburame family had with insects was both weird and a little disturbing. It rather made his skin crawl, but that wasn't unusual amongst Konoha shinobi. He remembered how Gai would unintentionally start itching, fidgeting and scratching himself whenever anyone from the clan was drinking with them at the Crossed Kunai bar, which always amused Kakashi. But there was no doubt that Shibi's ability to use the insects for tracking purposes was undeniably useful and Kakashi had the utmost respect for his colleague.

The ANBU considered the situation. He needed to finish this quickly. He could take the brute on solo, but he felt that he could use his comrades' skills. And there were other Iwa ninja to defeat.

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><p>On the other side of the earth barrier, Kemono and his lackeys were also planning an attack. The giant Iwa leader was assessing the chakra signatures on the Konoha side through the wall. He could only detect the chakra signature of Kakashi and two unknown shinobi. He chuckled to himself as he realised that he could no longer detect Iruka's life force; at least he'd managed to kill that pesky chuunin.<p>

He shuddered as he recalled being buried inside the bowels of the earth, lightning fused fulgurite trapping him inside an underground prison created by Kakashi. He was lucky that he had had the ability to generate chakra mist with his eyes; it filtered through the earth, eventually wafting up to ground level, seeping through the surface of the soil that Iruka had piled on top of him, providing his comrades with a means to locate him. It took them several hours to dig him out of his dark, dank grave, but he survived. And was determined to get his revenge.

He beckoned for his comrades to listen to him. He explained that Kakashi was likely to be the strongest of the trio; he was Konoha ANBU and the brute knew him to be highly skilled. Not many shinobi had teleportation skills. Kakashi was certainly a rare and dangerous foe.

But Kemono had a plan. He relayed the details to his comrades in a hushed tone. He wanted his colleagues to distract the two Konoha strangers while he took on Kakashi. Once the ANBU was dead, the others would be easy to defeat.

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><p>Suddenly two great pllars of earth shot out from the wall of soil. They were aimed directly at Shibi and Ibiki with a degree of precision which indicated that Kemono knew exactly where each Konoha shinobi was located, even from behind his protective earth shield. His chakra location skills were unsurpassed. The Leaf pair leapt back to avoid the earth attack, landing on their feet and poised to avoid further strikes.<p>

At that very same moment Kemono appeared, standing astride a pile of earth that rose directly upwards from the wall, eyes already sparkling. He was expecting both Shibi and Ibiki to have been distracted by the earth attack and busy defending themselves. Crap. It meant that his comrades hadn't contained the Konoha ninja to his satisfaction. But primarily he was focussed on where Kakashi was located. He needed to dispatch the silver haired genius first. He raised his beefy arm.

But the ANBU was way too quick for him. He teleported out of the way of the Iwa ninja's deadly gaze, shooting another fireball at the enemy as he disappeared from view. Kemono vanished behind the wall again.

Stalemate.

Kemono was aware that every time he attacked the ANBU, Kakashi was likely to dodge his assault and avoid his gaze. But the brute was a surprisingly good strategist. He had a new tactic.

On the other side of the wall, Kakashi was evaluating the situation. He needed to find a way to attack the Iwa leader and his lackeys. As he was contemplating his next course of action, Ibiki and Shibi standing alongside him, expectant and ready to follow his orders, the earth beneath them gave a small tremor. Then, rising up from the forest floor, a pool of saturated soil engulfed their ankles. It was thick and heavy, a form of sticky clay.

It moved so quickly that the shinobi were taken slightly by surprise. The cloying brown mud pooled around their ankles, then hardened immediately, preventing them from moving. And they were in striking range of their attackers. The clay was infused with chakra, which made it particularly clingy – the harder they tugged, the tighter it gripped their feet. It was a clever ploy – they had been trapped in the most unexpected way.

Kemono used his earth elevator technique to reach the top of his earth wall once more. The Konoha trio were sitting ducks. Any shinobi without the ability to move would be virtually helpless against the Iwa brute's chakra draining ability.

The Leaf shinobi looked upwards to observe the Iwa leader and his comrades astride the earth wall. The big brute's eyes were sparkling and he had a victorious grin plastered across his face.

Kakashi had to act. He was unable to teleport as his legs were completely ensnared by the sticky mud and he knew he could only keep the Iwa at bay using fireballs for a limited time – he had to be conscious of his own chakra reserves. And right now, he was in serious danger of what remaining chakra he possessed being drained to the point of death.

He needed to free himself and his companions. The other Iwa ninja were focussed on attacking Ibiki and Shibi – shooting clouds of dust in their direction. Unable to move to avoid the fine particles of soil, the Konoha ninja immediately started coughing, their eyes smarting as the powdery earth infiltrated their lungs. And interspersed amongst the dust clouds were rock-hard balls of solid earth aimed directly at them. The Konoha pair couldn't see the missiles amidst the dust-clouds and were barely able to dodge them.

Meanwhile Kakashi needed to work out how to avoid Kemono's deadly gaze fast. He was unable to teleport. The Iwa leader's sparkling eyes were focussed upon him and already he was beginning to feel weak. He needed to be able to move. The cloying chakra-infused clay gripped his ankles; he had to free himself. Despite the drain it would take on his chakra reserves, his solution was to use raikiri. The lightning crackled as it formed within his hands. As soon as he had generated sufficient charge, he blasted the clay around his ankles. It dried and hardened immediately. The ANBU then bent his knees and pushed hard against the mud. He could feel the clay beginning to yield.

One more blast and shards of dried mud broke apart from around his ankles. He was free.

He disappeared instantly. Out of range of Kemono. The next thing he needed to do was assist Ibiki and Shibi. He needed to stop the Iwa sending dust clouds towards them, as the dry particles of soil were choking them. He made some hand seals.

Suiton! Water release. Drops of liquid began to rise from the clay as Kakashi's jutsu drew the water from the sticky mud, forcing it into the air to mix with the dust clouds. Infused with water, the particles of soil became heavy and simply dropped to the ground. Shibi and Ibiki were immediately able breathe again and recovered quickly. Now they could at least see the cannon balls of hardened dirt that continued to be hurled towards them - they were able to dodge or deflect them, even if they were still unable to move their feet. Irritated that he had not managed to incapacitate Kakashi, but mindful of the fact that there were still two trapped ninja he could attack, Kemono turned his attentions to Ibiki, his sparkling eyes focussing on the tall man. As Kemono's deadly gaze hit him, Ibiki looked as though he had been punched in the stomach. He collapsed immediately, knees bent, ankles straining against the sticky clay. He had never experienced rapid chakra drain before and found it to be utterly debilitating. He began to understand what Iruka had gone through.

Kakashi had to act quickly. Ibiki wasn't going to last long. He had an idea. He reappeared directly in front of Kemono and blasted a final fireball at the Iwa ninja. As expected, they disappeared behind the earth wall. This bought the ANBU much needed time.

His first priority was to free his comrades. He went to Shibi first, muttering instructions as he released him from the clay. The jounin nodded beneath his high collared jacket, acknowledging Kakashi's command.

Hundreds of thousands of bugs streamed out from inside Shibi's sleeves, scuttling with a great swoosh across the forest floor before vanishing inside the earth wall.

Kakashi then ran over to the tall chuunin, blasting away at the solidified mass of mud gripping at his feet with a modified raikiri. Ibiki grunted a brief thanks as he released himself, rubbing his sore ankles. The pair then moved across to Shibi, who was focussing his energies on his insects. The silver-haired ANBU explained his plan.

Then each Leaf ninja turned to face the wall and waited. They needed time for Kakashi's plan to take shape. It also gave both Kakashi and Ibiki the chance to rest slightly, to recover from Kemono's attack. Ibiki was feeling slightly nauseous but managed to hide his discomfort. All shinobi were ready.

Eventually a single tiny bug returned to Shibi. It shimmied across the forest floor before crawling up his trouser leg. Suppressing a shiver, the ANBU glanced across at Shibi, who was utterly calm. Remaining completely silent, he made hand signals to indicate to the others precisely where each of the Iwa ninja were located. Kakashi and Ibiki acknowledged this information, then Shibi paused. He waited for the ANBU's command.

Kakashi reached inside his his belt pouch. He had the equipment he needed. He nodded his silver-crowned head and Shibi raised his hand. Poised on the tip of one of his fingers was the teeny insect. The jounin blew on it softly and it flew towards the earth wall. Within moments, the base of the wall started rumbling, then crumbling, penetrated by hundreds of thousands of insects, each of which had worked its way into the soil structure and started to destabilise it. The wall collapsed within a matter of seconds, Kakashi casting another water based jutsu to douse the dust as the soil hit the ground.

Standing before them were five Iwa shinobi talking together in a group, clearly discussing tactics. Completely surprised, they turned to face the Konoha ninja, but were unprepared and not in any position to defend themselves. Each Leaf ninja knew exactly what to do. Kakashi had decided that the simple approach was the best. As soon as the wall came down he threw two shuriken directly at Kemono. As accurate as ever, they pierced his eyes, rendering him incapable of using his unique chakra draining skill.

So simple.

So effective.

Then each of the Leaf shinobi immediately took on the remaining Iwa ninja. One each for Shibi and Ibiki and Kakashi attacked the final pair. They put up virtually no resistance. As Kemono fell to his knees, screaming like a pig, cursing and swearing, it was clear that the Iwa lackeys had nothing to hide behind. They were lazy and unskilled. Without their powerful leader, they were defeated in moments.

The Konoha shinobi reconvened. They walked over to the great hulk of a man writhing on the ground. His eyes were sparkling, but this time it was the glint from the afternoon sun catching the sharp metal edges of Kakashi's gleaming throwing stars. Ibiki picked up the chakra wire he had used to restrain Iruka and swiftly tied the brute up.

Kakashi established that Kemono was well and truly incapacitated and had no further ability to drain chakra. He was helpless, a great lug, blind and bound by chakra wire. Ibiki was standing over him, a dangerous smirk on his face. He was going to have fun interrogating this one.

The ANBU's next priority was to find out how Iruka was doing. Drawing from his ever-dwindling chakra reserves, he teleported immediately to the place where he had left the chuunin. The dogs had been thoroughly obedient and responsible; they had done Iruka proud. Kakashi found them all guarding the chuunin with a fierce loyalty, having followed his instructions to the letter. As Kakashi walked through their circle, he patted their heads as a mark of his appreciation and they wagged their tails with affection.

He knelt by his lover's side. Iruka was clearly very ill. He was still unconscious, but he was breathing. Kakashi pulled the chuunin's body into his arms holding him tightly, relishing the contact between them. Iruka's eyes flickered slightly as he felt the ANBU embrace him and his eyes opened briefly, although he didn't acknowledge Kakashi.

The ANBU got to his feet, cradling Iruka tenderly and ran back to his Konoha comrades. They were already preparing for the return journey. Kemono was bound tightly. He would be not only interrogated but it was highly likely that he would be brought to trial for his horrific crimes. No form of justice would ever bring Rin back but at least no other Konoha shinobi or indeed any other shinobi would have to endure such unbelievable torture. They were unsure what the Hokage would choose to do but they had to follow due process and take Kemono to the village. The shinobi world was a harsh one; death and killing was part of being a ninja. Kakashi had had to kill on a number of occasions. But he had never – ever – enjoyed it. It was necessary, no more. Kakashi would never understand the thrill of torture that Kemono had so clearly relished.

The ANBU's heart was still mourning for Rin. But he desperately didn't want to have to mourn Iruka as well. The very thought made his blood run cold.

He addressed Shibi and Ibiki, "I'm going to run back to Konoha with Iruka. He needs medical assistance urgently. That brute will only slow us down."

Both shinobi acknowledged his instructions and promised to follow in time. They had to lead a blinded shinobi back to the village.

Kakashi leapt into the trees, holding Iruka tightly in his arms. He knew that the journey ahead could still be dangerous but with his main enemy dispatched he had a better chance of getting his lover home safely. Kakashi knew him to be strong, he just hoped that he could get medical assistance for Iruka in time.

Following his every stride from the ground, a pack of enthusiastic hounds pursued the pair.

Kakashi had an idea that he might have inherited some nin-ken.


	18. The Law's Delay

Hello. And sorry. It's been a really, really, really long time. Life just got increasingly manic. And then more manic with added manicness. Wah. But I've managed to write another chapter. This one has loads of smut in it. Now, I've been so busy I haven't had time to do any reading at all and I don't know if the fic burners are still burning fics so… I'm gonna post the full version with all its smutty smuttiness in my LJ (I'll put the link in my profile) and cut the smutty smut from this posting just in case. So, er, warnings for… smut. And the usual stuff about it being unbeta'd etc. Thanks very much to everyone who is reading and following the story and especially to everyone who takes the time to review/PM. I really love hearing from you. Finally, Happy New Year to all. I've had several rotten years in a row, so am convinced that this one has to be better. I hope it is fabulous for you.

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><p>Chapter 18 – The Law's Delay<p>

Kakashi ran until he was well out of sight of his Konoha comrades. Holding Iruka tightly in his arms, he was surprised to find that his emotions were running high. For most of his life he had learned to suppress his feelings; it was necessary for any shinobi to be able to do this to some degree, but Kakashi had experienced so much tragedy from such an early age, there was something inside him that wanted – needed – to be able to blank his feelings out completely. He had grieved for his father, learned to respect Obito and he had truly loved Rin. Minato, his team leader and mentor, had also been taken from him in the most cruel and tragic way. All those people were gone from his life, reduced to phantom memories of fleeting joy and intense pain.

He looked down at the unconscious chuunin in his arms. Iruka's eyes were closed and his countenance was peaceful. His skin tone was unusually pale and his hair awry, with strands fallen loose from his ponytail plastered across his face, but Kakashi thought he looked beautiful. He knew that Iruka might be irked if Kakashi ever used such a feminine description to him directly, but the ANBU genuinely considered it apt. He had known the love of family and friendship and known the hurt of loss, but he had never before experienced the love of desire. It was at once wonderful and utterly terrifying.

When he came to a clearing, the ANBU stopped running and laid Iruka gently on the ground. He wanted to check that his lover was capable of making the journey home. He had to make a judgement. Would it actually be better to let the chuunin rest for a while? Kakashi didn't think that they would be able to return to Konoha within one day, it was likely to take the better part of two days' running at full speed. And he was feeling very tired himself after his battle with Kemono – he'd had to generate several fireballs, raikiri and had also suffered a partial chakra drain.

He examined Iruka carefully. The chuunin was still unconscious, but he was breathing easily and his heartbeat was much stronger. Kakashi decided that he was no longer in immediate danger and should continue to travel. He was very proud of the chuunin – he had been so loyal and so brave.

Kakashi pulled down his mask and placed a soft kiss on Iruka's full lips. Then he drew his lover into his arms again, picked him up carefully and made off at top speed. The dogs were still around - he could sense their chakra - but they maintained a discreet distance from the pair. Kakashi was sure that if he were to encounter further danger, he could rely on the pack to assist him.

It was late in the afternoon when Kakashi, Shibi and Ibiki had finally defeated the Iwa shinobi, so it wasn't long before darkness fell. The ANBU decided that he should find somewhere safe to rest for the night. Although there was no longer any danger from Iwa, and Kakashi was fairly sure that the Hokage wouldn't have sent anyone out after Shibi and Ibiki yet, there was always a threat from other shinobi, particularly rogues, who might just happen to be in the area. But he felt confident enough that Iruka would be okay for the night.

He found a good location to camp for the night at the base of a large camphor tree. He wanted to rest on the ground, which would be safer for Iruka, and figured that if there was any threat, he could teleport them into the leafy canopy of the tree. He didn't intend to sleep, but felt that his aching limbs could use some respite.

He sensed the multiple chakras of the pack of hounds becoming more distinct and individual and realised that they had decided to encircle the tree to guard the pair. They were far enough away to be out of sight, but close enough to protect them. Kakashi knew, deep down, that they were so trustworthy he would probably be able to allow himself to catch a few hours' slumber, but allowing himself to drift off was something that he would not allow himself to do – it was part of his shinobi disposition. He wanted to keep an eye on Iruka throughout the night.

He sat down by the tree, and nested himself between two large, gnarled roots and rested his back against the crinkly brown bark. He pulled Iruka towards him, drawing him into his lap. He raised his hand to reach underneath the chuunin's chin, and gently brought Iruka's head to rest on his shoulder. The ANBU then wrapped his arms around Iruka and held him tightly. He would protect his lover all through the night. Then, in the morning, he would take them both home.

Kakashi loved the feeling of Iruka's warm body beside him. He could hear the chuunin breathing softly – he was sleeping soundly now. Somehow this made him feel secure. He was aware that neither of them had yet admitted the very strong feelings that each felt for the other – neither had mentioned the word 'love', but that didn't matter. After Obito's death, Kakashi had sworn to protect all his comrades to the best of his ability. But this gorgeous man, lying in his arms, was the person he wanted to protect most in the world.

As the night turned from a deep black to a reddish golden morning and the stars slowly vanished from the sky, Iruka stirred in Kakashi's arms. The ANBU breathed a sigh of relief. The chuunin was going to be okay.

Iruka twisted slightly in Kakashi's arms to look up at his lover as he opened his eyes. He felt awful, but he recognised this as the worst chakra drain he ever had experienced and wasn't afraid. Just utterly drained. His body felt like lead, every muscle ached and he felt nauseous. His eyelids were heavy and it took every ounce of energy he possessed to open them. He knew he was with Kakashi. He could smell his lover's scent. It made him feel safe and calm. But several hours had passed since he had been knocked unconscious and he had no idea where he was.

He tried to speak, but no words came out. He frowned with frustration as he attempted once more to look up at Kakashi. The ANBU understood. He gave the chuunin a brief squeeze and explained in a gentle tone, "You're safe. We beat Kemono. Shibi and Ibiki know you're innocent. We're on our way home."

Safe. That was all Iruka needed to know.

Iruka nodded, then closed his eyes before drifting off to sleep once more. Kakashi craned his neck to see the expression on his lover's face. It had a very small smile. The ANBU continued to hold Iruka, one hand caressing his body, while the other gently stroked his soft, brown hair. He felt reassured that Iruka had woken up, but was still very concerned about his health.

He decided to let the chuunin sleep undisturbed for a little longer. The sun was high in the pale blue sky when Kakashi sensed the dogs' chakra moving towards him. The nin-ken approached the Konoha pair and congregated around Kakashi, tails wagging, nuzzling and sniffing at him. The ANBU greeted each of them, patting their heads. He had a smile underneath his mask; they were friendly and loyal.

Iruka stirred and opened his eyes. He looked a little dazed as he looked around him. Kakashi squeezed him gently.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, gently.

"Rubbish," Iruka replied, vehemently.

Kakashi grinned, then kissed the back of the chuunin's neck. "Are you okay to continue travelling?"

The younger man nodded as Kakashi continued, "Can you climb onto my back? I can get us home a lot faster that way."

"Yes." The chuunin paused before whispering, "Thanks, Kakashi."

The older man grinned, pulled down his mask and kissed his lover passionately. Kakashi then manoeuvred so that Iruka could wrap his arms around the ANBU's shoulders, then he lifted the chuunin up and made off for home.

* * *

><p>Kakashi ran for several hours and the terrain became increasingly familiar as both shinobi realised that they were in Fire Country, approaching their home village. The ANBU had made sure that they had had regular breaks and decided to rest once more; he knew that the journey was likely to be stressful for Iruka, who was exhausted. He helped the chuunin climb down from his shoulders, then laid him gently on the forest floor. Iruka laughed, "I'm not made of glass, you know."<p>

Kakashi grinned as he flopped down beside him. The pair lay together soaking up the warm rays of the afternoon sun as it filtered through the leaves of the forest trees. Both had mixed feelings about their return. Elation that they had survived this far, but both were feeling nervous about actually returning to the village. Iruka, who knew he had been branded a traitor, and by his best friend, was feeling particularly apprehensive. He was also feeling melancholy. He was truly in love with Kakashi but wondered how their relationship might develop once they were back in the village and fully immersed in shinobi life.

He decided to voice his feelings. "I almost don't want to go back," he whispered softly.

Kakashi understood. He placed his arm around Iruka's shoulders and squeezed him tenderly. "I know. You've been through a lot. But the Hokage and the village need to know that you are innocent."

Iruka remained silent. He knew that Kakashi was right, but it didn't make him feel any better. He still didn't want to go back. He looked up at Kakashi, brow furrowed, and the ANBU's visible eye was arched into a smile. He had a suggestion.

"Well, I think it's couple more hours of solid running before we would reach the gates and it's getting late in the day. They will have closed up for the night by the time we get there. No point in alarming everyone by making a fuss when we arrive and the Hokage will almost certainly had finished for the night."

Iruka looked up at the ANBU hopefully, his expression brightening. Kakashi continued, "Why don't we camp out for the night for one last time? I know a secret place where we can be safe. No one except for Team Minato ever knew where it was. We all used to train there."

His voice trailed off. No one from Team Minato was left alive, save him. Suddenly he was overwhelmed by a rush of sadness. He fought to contain his emotions.

Iruka realised immediately how Kakashi was feeling. He reached for Kakashi's hand and stroked it gently, to conveying that he understood how the ANBU was feeling.

He turned to face his lover and said, "Would it be wrong if we spent one last night together? Just you and me, I mean?"

Kakashi couldn't think of anything more that he wanted in the world. They had spent some golden days together on that beach. He couldn't recall when he had been happier. Two shinobi, one assigned to assassinate the other, had not only become friends, but had fallen very deeply in love. Who knew what the future would hold for them? This night would give them one more chance to be together before they faced their obligations.

They continued on their way for two more hours. Kakashi slowed the pace slightly; there was no need to hurry, other than to get to his secret hiding place. He ran through the forest, carrying Iruka on his back. He loved the feeling of the chuunin's body close to him.

The pair reached a river and followed it upstream for a few kilometres. The forested terrain started getting hilly and the land was increasingly undulating. Iruka sort of recognised the area but wasn't sure that he had ever been to this place before. Eventually Kakashi approached a waterfall. The silvery water seemed to emerge from nowhere, tumbling and splashing from a tall ridge surrounded by leafy green trees into a deep pool below. It was really beautiful. The ANBU ran towards the splashing water, and Iruka fully expected him to stop at the edge of the pond. But the ANBU didn't seem to be slowing down, in fact, if anything, he was getting faster. Iruka's heart started pounding and he braced himself as he realised that Kakashi was going to leap across the pool and right through the waterfall – surely the force of the water would kill them?

The older man increased his speed as he continued to dash towards the falls. Iruka closed his eyes, then felt a strange sensation rushing over him.

When he opened his eyes, he was lying on grassy ground beside a fast flowing stream. He could hear the whooshing sound of water and realised that Kakashi had teleported them to the top of the waterfall. His heart was pounding. As he looked around him, Iruka could see that they were surrounded by steep rocky walls, covered in bright green vines that spilled over the outcrops. It was a very private place. He had never come across it before, never heard of any Konoha ninja talk about it.

Kakashi lay beside him, gazing at him with an intensity that made the chuunin blush. The ANBU's mask was down and the sharingan open wide. As Iruka gazed into the blood red eye, he could see the tomoe spinning slowly. It was hypnotic. He took a sharp intake of breath. Kakashi's gaze was filled with desire. The chuunin looked up at him and smiled. Iruka's smile was the thing that Kakashi cherished most about him; it was so warm, so gentle, so loving. But the expression in his eyes was that of lust, showing just how much he desired the ANBU.

Kakashi knelt above him, looking down as he placed his hands together to form a handseal, casting a genjustu to give them extra privacy. He was certain that no one, even from Konoha knew of this place, but he wanted Iruka to feel completely comfortable. This was to be their last night of privacy and he wanted it to be special.

Kakashi moved closer and wrapped his arm around Iruka's shoulder. He leaned in and flicked his tongue across the chuunin's lips. He wanted to tease and to taste. Iruka always tasted amazing. The ANBU then pressed more firmly against the chuunin's soft lips and Iruka opened his mouth immediately to let Kakashi's warm tongue slip inside. The ANBU was powerful but gentle and he took control as they kissed. He was very careful to make sure that he wasn't too forceful; he was fully aware how exhausted Iruka was feeling.

But it excited him to know how much the chuunin wanted him. He pulled Iruka into his arms and held him tightly as they kissed, their tongues gliding together, slipping over each other, intertwining as they explored each other's soft, warm mouths.

Both shinobi were highly aroused, their feelings for each other only heightened by the passion of their kiss. They relished the contact between their bodies, pushing closer, embracing tightly. Kakashi let his hands roam over his lover's still clothed body, caressing him all over. If he couldn't yet tell Iruka that he loved him, he could convey his deep feelings for the chuunin by intense physical contact. He was already incredibly turned on – he had missed those wonderful days on the beach they had spent together, making love - and he was certain that Iruka wanted more too. He slipped his elegant fingers underneath the fabric of Iruka's undershirt, softly brushing his bare skin, and reached upwards until he found a nipple. The nub hardened instantly at the touch of his cool fingers, which spurred the ANBU on to pinch it slightly, then rub it gently between his finger and thumb.

Iruka moaned at the contact. He tried to arch his body closer to Kakashi, to show him how much he was enjoying the ANBU's attentions. But he was so tired, even though his body was enjoying everything Kakashi did, he didn't have the energy to respond as he wanted to.

"Shh," the older man whispered in his ear. "It's okay. Just relax. Let me do everything."

Iruka sighed softly and let the tension in his muscles melt away.

Kakashi grinned to himself. He loved how Iruka responded to his touch; knowing that he could bring the chuunin so much pleasure. But he didn't want to push things. He was aware that Iruka was incredibly lucky not to have been killed by Kemono's deadly gaze and he knew, from bitter experience, the fatigue that accompanied the chakra drain.

Kakashi pulled back slowly. He needed to be sure that Iruka really wanted to continue. He smiled gently at the younger man and whispered "Are you okay with this? You're not too tired?"

Iruka smiled then indicated towards his groin with a naughty expression on his face. Kakashi glanced down to see a large bulge in the chuunin's trousers, the fabric stretching over his already straining erection. Kakashi hissed with pleasure then leaned in and licked Iruka's soft earlobe, before reaching around and pulling at his hair tie, freeing the chestnut locks and letting them fall to the chuunin's shoulders. "You really are amazing," he whispered into Iruka's ear, his hot breath ghosting on the chuunin's skin as he stroked his soft brown hair, letting the strands slip between his fingers.

Then Kakashi sat up and leaned behind Iruka, so that he could undress him. He pulled the chuunin's shinobi vest over his shoulders and flung it aside, letting out a low whistle as his eyes roamed over his lover's tanned skin. Kakashi unconsciously lick his lips at the sight of the taut muscles of that perfect abdomen. The ANBU then carefully pulled at the elastic of Iruka's baggy trousers, lifting the waistband over Iruka's hot erection and then pulled them off. He flung the chuunin's sandals away and admired his lover, now lying naked and needy in front of him. Iruka was the very definition of seduction and the ANBU wanted to lick every inch of that tender flesh.

Kakashi then stretched up and, sitting back on his heels, slowly removed his skin-tight ANBU vest. With his sculpted abs and alabaster skin, he looked like a classical statue. He glanced down at Iruka and his eyes creased into a smile when he saw how much the chuunin was admiring his body. It brought out just a little bit of the exhibitionist in him, and he was secretly pleased that Iruka found him to be so attractive. Kakashi removed his trousers and Iruka could tell instantly how excited the older man was, his large, pale cock standing proud. Iruka smiled back, a seductive little grin, and licked his lips.

Kakashi growled. Iruka was so sensual it was almost a sin. He fell upon the chuunin, wrapping his arms around him and kissing the chuunin as their naked bodies embraced.

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><p>CUT - PLEASE GO TO LJ (link in profile)<p>

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><p>They hugged for the longest time. If the sex was great, it was those precious moments afterwards, when they could just hold each other, that made the whole experience perfect.<p>

They shifted, Iruka twisting around so that he was facing away from Kakashi, snuggled against his lover's warm body, as the older man wrapped his arms around the chuunin and held him tight. Eventually they both drifted into a deep, dreamless, perfect sleep.

When Kakashi awoke, he was already hard. He reached downwards and discovered that Iruka was also aroused. He placed soft, hot kisses on the back of the chuunin's neck. Iruka responded immediately, turning to face the ANBU and they kissed with a fiery passion.

They made love once more, then bathed in the stream at the top of the waterfall before getting dressed.

As they prepared to leave for home, Kakashi turned to Iruka and asked, "So, you have the scroll right?"

Iruka's eyes widened and his heart sank. He had entrusted the scroll to Kakashi for safe-keeping. Maybe the ANBU had lost it during the battle with Kemono? His eyes opened wide and he shook his head.

"Noooo," he spoke slowly, his voice sounding a little shaky. "I-I thought I gave it to you?"

Kakashi was just fooling around. Part of him wanted to continue the charade a little bit longer, but he quickly realised that it was source of stress for the chuunin. Immediately he whipped it out of his waist pouch. Iruka punched his arm. Hard.

"Ouch! What was that for?"

"Kami, I thought you'd really lost it!"

Kakashi pulled the chuunin towards him and held him tightly. He loved Iruka so damned much. They embraced together for several minutes before Kakashi murmured, "Are you ready to go now?"

The chuunin nodded his response, his face buried in Kakashi's chest. He wasn't ready at all. But he was determined to do this – to get back home and clear his name.

Kakashi teleported to the base of the fall and was unsurprised to find the dogs waiting patiently for the shinobi pair. They greeted the ninja, tails wagging, and both shinobi petted the dogs.

Kakashi and Iruka embraced once more before the ANBU picked up the chuunin and placed him on his shoulders. They had to get back home.

As the gates of Konoha came into view, the familiar A and N marking the entrance to their village, Iruka patted Kakashi and asked to be let down. As the young man carefully slipped off the ANBU's shoulders, he stumbled slightly and the older man caught him, turning to observe him with a clear look of concern. Iruka's expression was that of fiery determination. There was no way he was going to be carried home.

"I have to walk through those gates."

Kakashi understood. As they approached the entrance together, the ANBU gently gripped the chuunin's hand and gave it a squeeze, before releasing it. Both shinobi stood tall and defiant.

It was time to face the music...


	19. That Makes Calamity of So Long Life

Hello. *Looks more sheepish than ever before* Last time I apologised that it had been ages and ages and _ages_ since I updated, but this is the longest gap yet. I'm really sorry. Again! Thank you so much to everyone who is continuing to read this story and special thanks to everyone who follows/faves/reviews, it always makes my day to hear from you. Usual caveats for the fact that I didn't invent Naruto and that this is unbeta'd, as ever. I think I'd better just get on with the chapter…

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><p>Chapter 19 That Makes Calamity of So Long Life<p>

Iruka sat outside the Hokage's office, flanked on either side by two of Sarutobi's personal guards. He felt like a criminal. Kakashi was inside the office, explaining his version of events and reporting on his mission. Protocol required that the senior rank report first and that both shinobi should report separately. Iruka clutched the scroll in his hand, his palms, damp with nervous sweat, smearing the ink on the Iwa wrapper that he'd used to conceal its contents when stealing it back. It was actually breaking convention for Kakashi to have handed the scroll to the lower ranked ninja, but the ANBU felt it was appropriate. Iruka had stayed behind in Iwa and risked his life in order to retrieve that scroll. It was his to return to Konoha.

Suddenly the events of the last few weeks caught up with Iruka. The chuunin's mind went over and over how he was going to explain things to the Hokage. He was also dreading meeting up with Mizuki. He had put that to the back of his mind until now. But the feelings churning inside him were very real and he was going to have to face a confrontation soon. He felt melancholy. Part of him didn't want to think about the fact that his best friend may have betrayed him; he felt certain there had been some horrible misunderstanding – it had to be the only explanation.

His thoughts returned to his current predicament – he had to work out how to explain himself. Simply telling the truth was the best way – state the facts as they happened - he had nothing to hide. He also knew Kakashi would defend him; although the ANBU was probably having to do some serious talking himself, because he had disobeyed a direct order to assassinate him.

If only Kakashi would hurry up. Then Iruka could go in and get it over with.

The ANBU stood to attention before the Hokage who was sitting attentively in his chair behind his desk. The silver haired shinobi's porcelain mask had been lost, probably smashed to smithereens, somewhere in Iwa. His cloth mask, incorporated into his shinobi vest, covered most of his face, and he wore a hitae-ate that was pulled down over the sharingan. The Hokage always found it more difficult to discern Kakashi's mood when his entire face was covered with only one eye was visible. The ANBU remained impassive. He was aware that he was potentially in trouble but he didn't care.

He had done the right thing.

Sarutobi listened intently as Kakashi recounted the details of his mission precisely. He explained how he had been ready to slit Iruka's throat when they were attacked by the Iwa ninja. He described Kemono's deadly gaze and their attempts to retrieve the scroll.

"And why did it take so long for you both to return?"

"The chakra drain was debilitating, Hokage sama. We were in enemy territory and needed time to rest and recover. We had to be fit enough to retrieve the scroll and travel home."

He failed to mention what he and Iruka had been doing as they had spent those days at their secret place by the sea. They had been falling in love. However, Kakashi's conscience was clear: they had both genuinely needed to recuperate because they faced enormous potential dangers on the way home.

But it had been such an _enjoyable_ recuperation.

The Hokage nodded. Kakashi's explanation was entirely reasonable.

Sarutobi was very interested in hearing more about Kemono. A shinobi with a unique ability. Captured. Kakashi explained how they had finally managed to defeat the Iwa brute and indicated that the Hokage should expect Shibi and Ibiki to return to Konoha with him in tow, probably within the next couple of days.

And finally, Kakashi had to bring himself to tell the Hokage about what had really happened to Rin. It was the most painful part of the debrief.

A debrief – so formal, so clinical. It couldn't begin to approach describing the way Kakashi felt about the brutal torture and murder of his best friend.

He steeled himself, took a deep breath and started speaking. He kept to the facts as they had been told to him by Iruka. He managed to recount the tale without letting his voice waver for a moment, without a single tear forming in his visible eye. It was masterful control of his emotions.

The Hokage paused and considered the ANBU's verbal report. Secretly he was delighted that Kakashi had had the good judgement to not to kill Iruka. He found that he was genuinely relieved that Iruka had been proved to be innocent and was proud of the young chuunin's loyalty and commitment to retrieving the scroll - that he had made the best of a mission that had gone seriously wrong. He also considered that Mizuki had some explaining to do.

The Hokage sat back in his chair and lit his pipe. As curls of wispy blue smoke surrounded him, he observed the ninja standing before him. He admired Kakashi and was desperately proud of him.

"You are aware that you failed to follow a direct order," he stated evenly.

Kakashi nodded. He wasn't one for great justifications and had no plans to provide a long convoluted monologue explaining himself. His response was simple, "I made a judgement based on the situation as I saw it. It was very clear to me that Iruka was innocent. He proved his loyalty to Konoha by guarding that scroll and then taking any opportunity he could to retrieve it."

Sarutobi nodded. "Thank you, Kakashi. I want a full written report tomorrow."

Kakashi didn't breathe a sigh of relief. He didn't need to. The Third continued, "Please send Iruka in."

"Thank you, Hokage sama." The ANBU turned and left the room. As he entered the corridor, he noticed that Iruka was looking terribly nervous as he sat waiting to go in to see the village leader.

Kakashi really wanted to pull Iruka into his arms and hold him. To whisper words of comfort to him. To actually tell him that he loved him. But they were in the presence of other shinobi. No one knew that they had developed a relationship. It would be inappropriate and unprofessional to show any sign of affection. But Kakashi, so confident about his shinobi abilities and his judgement on missions, didn't know the best way to communicate with the person he had fallen in love with. He wanted to reassure Iruka that everything was okay, but he didn't know how.

He emerged from the room and simply nodded in the direction of the Hokage's office and announced in a neutral tone, "Your turn."

Iruka took a deep breath, his eyes wide with apprehension. He observed Kakashi closely to see whether he could establish how it had gone. Kakashi's expression was entirely deadpan hidden behind his mask, so the chuunin didn't have a clue what he was thinking.

Couldn't the ANBU have given him _some_ indication of how it went? Was he in trouble? Was everything squared?

He took a deep breath, stood up tall and knocked on the door. On hearing the instruction to enter, he walked into Sarutobi's office. He bowed respectfully and stood to attention. The Third observed the young ninja standing before him. He was a very perceptive man; years in the job had taught him how to read body language and he was usually very good at determining from a shinobi's demeanour how sincere they were and whether he could trust them – without even hearing a single word from them. It would appear that Mizuki had been a particularly good actor but he was in no doubt that Iruka was quite obviously genuine.

Iruka solemnly walked to the village leader's desk and reverentially offered the scroll to the Hokage, who accepted it into his wizened old hands. The chuunin then bowed again and stepped backwards before coming to a halt and standing before the Hokage.

From the moment Iruka walked in, even without Kakashi's explanation of the situation, which he felt was utterly plausible, Sarutobi was convinced that the ANBU had done the right thing by allowing Iruka to live.

Iruka waited. He wanted to gush an explanation, but he knew that he should be respectful and answer the Hokage's questions. He didn't know Sarutobi that well. He had been very grateful for the leader's support when his parents had been killed but as a chuunin he had not had much interaction with the village's higher echelons, as all his missions had been fairly low key, nothing more demanding than a B-rank.

Sarutobi sat back in his chair. Then he leaned across for more pipe tobacco and carefully stuffed into his clay pipe, before lighting it again. Wisps of blue smoke whirled around him once more. Iruka shifted slightly, he was feeling increasingly nervous. He really wished the Hokage would just get on with it.

The Third smiled. "I am pleased to see you again, Umino Iruka."

The chuunin managed a weak grin. But Sarutobi noticed that his eyes still conveyed a great deal of worry about his fate.

"At ease." Iruka relaxed slightly. The Hokage smiled again before continuing, "I have had a long discussion with Kakashi, but I would like to hear your version of events, particularly the details about what happened on your mission."

He could have added the words, "...and how it went so badly wrong" but he didn't. Iruka recognised that Sarutobi was keeping an open mind. So the chuunin began to relay the events of the past few weeks.

When he had finished his story the Hokage spoke. "You understand that you were branded a traitor?"

Iruka nodded, his heart heavy. Sarutobi continued, "And why do you think that might be?"

Iruka took a deep breath. "I was improvising, Hokage sama. I didn't have the opportunity to tell my comrades that I was bluffing. I wanted to give them the chance to escape and get home." He paused. "Maybe I was just a really good actor?" He shrugged, trying to appear modest while making his point.

Sarutobi suppressed a smile. He believed Iruka's story and was terribly proud of the young shinobi. He had proved himself to be loyal and brave.

Iruka and Kakashi's stories matched perfectly. The Hokage was aware that they would have had the opportunity to discuss how they would relay the details of their missions, but he was very perceptive and could tell if any shinobi team had prepared a story. The truth never lay with the consistencies in any tale, it lay with the minor inconsistencies, small lapses in their memory of events and minor differences in their opinions and evaluations of situations. Iruka was clearly innocent.

"Thank you, Iruka. I would like a mission report from you tomorrow."

"Yes, Hokage sama."

"You may leave. I will arrange another meeting with you in a few days' time."

"Thank you, Hokage sama."

As he left the office, the chuunin breathed a sigh of relief. He still had a number of things that were worrying him, most of all, having to confront Mizuki. And he wondered what had happened to Kakashi. He was hoping that they might be able to arrange to see each other, when they had completed their reports.

But when he reached the corridor Kakashi wasn't there. He didn't know where to find the ANBU, didn't know where he lived, where he hung out, who his friends were.

So he went home.

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><p>It was early evening. Kakashi had returned to his apartment in the shinobi accommodation complex. He'd showered and changed into more comfortable clothes; then, efficient as ever, he completed his mission report.<p>

The ninken had followed him through the gates of Konoha and, when he emerged from the Hokage's office, they were there waiting for him. He figured the least he could do was to stop by on the way home and buy them some food. They scoffed it greedily as he wrote up his report.

He knew he should get some rest as he hadn't slept properly since he and Iruka had started their journey home from their beach hideout, but he couldn't sleep for some reason. And he couldn't stop thinking about Iruka. They hadn't arranged to meet up. On entering the gates of Konoha, everything had been a bit of a whirl – they had been separated and marched to the Hokage instantly, and there had been no opportunity to arrange to meet up after they had seen their leader.

He decided to see Shikunshi, Rin's cousin. His former boyfriend was a civilian and was likely to have finished work for the day and be hanging out at the Crossed Kunai. Kakashi suddenly wanted to find him.

The ANBU decided to walk to the bar. He had a vague hope that he might bump into Iruka somewhere on the village's streets, although he realised that it was unlikely. He had spent so much time with the chuunin, he realised that he missed having company. For a loner such as Kakashi, it was an odd feeling.

As he entered the dark, smoky bar, the music was loud even though it wasn't late in the evening. He walked to the booths at the back, as he knew Shikunshi was likely to be sitting there and, sure enough, his former boyfriend was located at a table, quietly sipping a cool beer. He looked up as he noticed Kakashi approaching the table and smiled. Even though they had broken up a while ago, the pair had remained close friends and Shikunshi was always happy to see Kakashi. They had often spent time together, sometimes with Rin, drinking and talking, putting the world to rights, sometimes into the early hours of the morning.

Shikunshi rose from his seat to greet the silver haired shinobi. He was tall, almost as tall as Kakashi, and he had a neat appearance, with close cropped brown hair, the same colour as Rin's, and he wore a well tailored suit. Even though he was clearly relaxing after work, having removed his jacket and loosened his necktie, he still looked smart. His eyes had a knowing twinkle and lit up as soon as he caught sight of his former boyfriend.

He held out his arms and embraced Kakashi, kissing him briefly on his masked lips. The ANBU squeezed his ex tightly. He still held an enormous affection for him. They sat down and Shikunshi beckoned the barman to order a beer for Kakashi. It arrived and they started talking.

"Just back from a mission?" he asked in his usual gentle tone.

Kakashi nodded softly, a baleful expression on his face, although his former boyfriend couldn't see it. But Shikunshi could detect the ANBU's feelings just from his demeanour; he knew Kakashi well and didn't need him to lower his mask and reveal his face.

"You've been out in the sun a lot, ne? You're almost looking tanned."

Kakashi chuckled. "You mean I'm no longer pale and interesting?"

Now it was Shikunshi's turn to laugh. "Usually pale, always interesting." He paused, "So how did the mission go? Or is that classified?"

"Always classified. But, well, it was successful."

More successful than he would have imagined.

He'd fallen in love.

With his target.

But he didn't want to discuss that yet. He hadn't spent any time with Iruka in Konoha. He had no idea about how their burgeoning relationship was likely to develop once they were back in the bustle of the village and fulfilling their responsibilities to shinobi life. He hoped they would be able to continue but was aware of the pressures that would be facing them both. And hell, he didn't even know how to contact the chuunin right now.

So far he had just been making small talk with Shikunshi but Kakashi desperately wanted to bring up the subject of Rin – it was the reason he had wanted to meet with her cousin. But he wasn't sure how. Shikunshi was remarkably sensitive though and recognised the ANBU's hesitation. He knew exactly what Kakashi wanted to talk about.

"You heard about Rin, didn't you?" he reached out to hold Kakashi's hand. The ANBU gripped it tightly.

For a brief moment, words simply refused to form on the ANBU's lips. He swallowed, struggling to contain his emotions. He had loved Rin so damned much. Part of him wanted to howl to the gods about how unfair it was that she had been taken from the both of them and in such a cruel way. Shikunshi didn't know what had really happened to her.

"I miss her so much," was all Kakashi could say.

Shikunshi nodded. He really, really missed his cousin too. As well as being related they had been great friends. He leaned across and hugged Kakashi. "Do you know what happened?" he asked, softly.

Kakashi nodded. He decided to spare his friend the details about her ghastly demise. "She was killed by a gang of Iwa brutes. She didn't deserve what happened to her. She was so fucking brave."

He paused, struggling to continue.

"I avenged her."

His voice was almost inaudible but had an icy tone as he continued, "Those Iwa won't ever be able to do what they did to her to anyone else, ever again." He looked down, focussing on his drink. He felt that if he even glanced into Shikunshi's eyes, he would lose all control.

He could not break down in public, it was unthinkable.

Shikunshi gripped Kakashi's gloved hand and squeezed it tightly. He held his gaze on the ANBU and waited until Kakashi had regained control of his emotions. When the shinobi was finally able to look up he saw Shikunshi had an expression of sincerity and reverence, and he declared softly, "She's at peace now."

Kakashi nodded. It didn't help. All the horrid feelings, the pain, the nausea, started rising inside him as he recalled Iruka telling how Rin had been tortured and killed by those Iwa ninja.

And if those horrid thoughts made him feel so dreadful, why was he still feeling so elated about Iruka? It wasn't right. There was no way that he could feel so good when he should be feeling so terrible. His feelings were a maelstrom – a tangle of emotions that he had spent a lifetime learning to suppress.

Shikunshi focussed his attention on Kakashi. He knew how much the ANBU had loved his cousin. In many respects, Kakashi knew her better than Shikunshi – although she was related to the civilian, the silver-haired shinobi had worked with her so closely, lived with her for many months on long-term missions. It meant they really understood each other.

Shikunshi raised his glass. He looked Kakashi in the eye and declared softly, "To Rin."

"To Rin," Kakashi echoed. They clinked glasses and drank deeply from them. As soon as they had replaced the vessels on the table top, Shikunshi pulled Kakashi towards him and held him tightly.

They spent the next couple of hours chatting. Shikunshi was good company. The ANBU decided not to mention his new relationship with Iruka. Although he was in no doubt as to his feelings for the chuunin, he was feeling unsure as to how the relationship might develop. Kakashi eventually decided that he should return home and try to get some rest. He had to hand in his mission report the following morning.

As the ANBU got up to leave, Shikunshi stood briefly. He was so courteous, a real gentleman. He grabbed Kakashi again and hugged him with feeling. The ANBU closed his eyes. His former boyfriend was a true friend.

At that moment, Iruka walked into the room. He'd decided to go out, on the offchance that he might bump into Kakashi. His attention was instantly drawn to the spiky silver hair at the back of bar area in the private booths. Heart beating fast, he started walking briskly in that direction, excited at the prospect of having found his new boyfriend.

Kakashi kissed Shikunshi on the lips, through his fabric mask, then turned to bid him farewell.

His sharp eyes caught the bobbing motion of the chuunin's ponytail as the younger man turned to leave the bar instantly, his face flushed red.

Oh crap. It wasn't how it looked but it didn't look good.

Kakashi teleported to the street outside the Crossed Kunai. He materialised directly in front of Iruka who stopped in his tracks, a furious expression on his face.

"Iruka! I'm really pleased to see you."

"Looks like you were more pleased to see your 'friend'," the chuunin retorted, visibly irritated.

Kakashi sighed and put his hand on Iruka's shoulder. He smiled beneath his mask and his visible eye arched. "It wasn't how it looked."

"It didn't look good," Iruka responded vehemently.

"He was Rin's cousin. I needed to see him." Kakashi could feel the tension in Iruka's shoulder start to relax. The chuunin waited for a further explanation though, "and you were kissing him because...?"

"He used to be my boyfriend. We haven't been together for a while, but we're still good friends."

Iruka looked petulant. If Kakashi wasn't trying so damned hard to explain the situation, he'd have declared the chuunin's expression to be incredibly cute. "We're _friends_, Iruka. Just friends," Kakashi insisted. "I want to be with _you_. I want to get to know you more. Will you let me?"

Iruka pursed his lips into a reluctant pout and nodded. He had no reason not to believe Kakashi. And he was secretly pleased that the ANBU had rushed after him to explain things.

"I don't even know where you live," he stated.

"At the shinobi complex. I'm usually there when I'm not on missions. What about you?"

"Me too. I wonder why I've never seen you there?"

Kakashi chuckled, "I tend to keep a low profile. And we all know about how the chuunin stick together. Your parties are legendary."

Iruka relaxed. He grinned and changed the subject. "How did it go with the Hokage?"

"Fine. I knew it would. You?"

"Yeah, fine." Iruka said, showing his relief.

Kakashi decided that he needed to go for the direct approach. "So, do you want to go on a date?"

Iruka smiled. He kinda wanted to hug Kakashi but it didn't feel right. They were in the middle of the street. He knew in his heart that he loved the ANBU, but, like Kakashi, he was aware that life was going to be very different now they were home.

Kakashi continued, "I know this great noodle bar called Ichiraku's. How about we go there?"

Kakashi had just said the magic words. Iruka couldn't think of a nicer place to go for a date. He smiled. Kakashi loved that smile – it made Iruka's whole face light up. He could see the love in the chuunin's eyes and it made him happy.

"Okay. When?"

They made arrangements to meet in a couple of days' time. They both had commitments and were also expecting to see the Hokage to hand in their reports.

The following days flew by a whirl. Both shinobi handed in their mission reports to the Hokage and he accepted them and archived them. He had squared things with the client, who was grateful for the dedication Iruka had shown and, as far as the village leaders were concerned, the matter was closed. The Hokage had plans for both Kakashi and Iruka.

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><p>Iruka sat in the Shuriken Coffee bar nursing a cup of hot, black coffee. He was feeling crap. He'd received a message from Mizuki, asking to meet with him. Iruka had arrived early. Something inside him needed to get this over with. Did his friend really brand him a traitor or was it just some ghastly misunderstanding? Iruka was such a positive person, always wanting to see the good in people. It <em>had <em>to be a misunderstanding. He had known Mizuki all his life. They had grown up together and were close friends.

He sighed as he stirred his coffee. There was no need to stir it, there was no sugar dissolving in it, but it gave Iruka something to do. He watched the coffee form a tiny whirlpool within the cup before settling again to a still, deep black liquid. Nothing more than a displacement activity.

While he waited.

Bang on time, the door to the coffee shop burst open and a flash of grey rushed towards him. Iruka suddenly found a very remorseful looking chuunin in his arms, gripping him tightly.

Iruka froze slightly. He didn't really know how to respond. He looked up at Mizuki, and immediately noticed his friend's expression. It was that of utter sincerity. There were even tears in the grey haired chuunin's eyes.

Mizuki spoke in an earnest tone, "Iruka, thank the gods you are alive. I am so, so, sorry about what happened."

Iruka remained silent. His expression softened though. He waited for his friend to continue.

The grey haired chuunin sat opposite Iruka and ordered a coffee. Fixing his gaze on his friend's face, he took a deep breath and began to explain himself. "I was so confused by everything that happened that day. I was so surprised at how you reacted with those Iwa ninja and told them you wanted to join them. I thought you had left Konoha for good. You were really convincing."

Iruka remained silent. Mizuki looked at him expectantly. Then he uttered the killer line, "It broke my heart to see you want to leave."

"Didn't you realise I was bullshitting them?" Iruka retorted with a snort of indignation. "You, of all people, should know me. I'm loyal to Konoha. I stayed behind so that you and the others could get home."

Mizuki shook his head sadly. "I'd had my chakra drained and was feeling tired and fuzzy. I know I was exhausted and feeling like shit. I was really confused and I don't think I really knew what was happening." He paused, aiming to share some of the burden. "The other two were convinced by you as well."

"They sent a fucking assassin to kill me!"

Mizuki looked shocked. Iruka hardly ever swore.

Mizuki closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, en expression of deep sorrow on his face. When he opened his eyelids, Iruka could see that his eyes were brimming with tears. He cocked his head and looked at the chuunin endearingly, they way he did when he wanted to get his own way when they were kids, then reached across the table, pulling Iruka's fists into his hands and squeezed tightly.

Crocodile tears, thought Kakashi, as he observed the friends' reunion through the window of the coffee bar, while perched on the rooftop of the building opposite. The ANBU had been doing some research. He had had the opportunity to browse through Mizuki's original mission report in detail, the one which had identified Iruka as a rogue and a traitor. He was utterly convinced that the grey haired chuunin was a dirty rat, and it worried him that Iruka might be willing to forgive his friend too easily. Iruka was facing away from the ANBU, so he could only gauge how their meeting was going by the grey haired chuunin's expression and the lousy bastard looked like he was winning Iruka over. Kakashi could lip-read using the sharingan and, much as he hated to admit it, he was impressed at Mizuki's demeanour and remarkable ability to deceive.

"Please, please forgive me," Mizuki pleaded. "I can't tell you how relieved I was when I found out you were alive _and _that you had brought home the scroll."

Kakashi observed Iruka's shoulders fall. His body language revealed that he was becoming increasingly relaxed. Damn it. That Mizuki was _not_ Iruka's friend, he was deceitful and despicable. Why couldn't the chuunin see it?

Mizuki grinned for the first time. "You're a hero, Iruka."

Iruka leaned across the table and gave his friend a hug. He had hoped among hope that his best friend hadn't betrayed him. It hadn't occurred to him that the chakra drain would have had such a detrimental effect on Mizuki's perception and judgement. It all made sense now. He smiled and squeezed his friend's hands warmly. There were tears in his eyes, although Kakashi could not see them.

Kakashi was seething. Part of him wanted to storm into the coffee shop, slap Mizuki, grab Iruka and berate him for being such a fool. Part of what he loved about Iruka was that he was so trusting, so kind, always wanting to believe the best in people. But Kakashi feared that Mizuki would hurt Iruka again one day and that the chuunin would find it difficult to deal with such betrayal.

The two chuunin talked for a little while longer, Iruka was obviously catching up on the latest news from around the village. Eventually, Mizuki made his excuses, hugged Iruka and left the building. Kakashi made a note of his jaunty swagger – it was quite clear to him that Iruka had been deceived by his so-called best friend.

Kakashi lowered his porcelain ANBU mask, which had been resting on top of his spiky silver hair, concealing his face. The Hokage had ordered a replacement for his lost mask and it had arrived that morning.

Mizuki walked down the main street, then turned into a quiet alley. Kakashi saw his chance. He teleported, materialising directly in front of the grey-haired chuunin. Mizuki nearly jumped out of his skin.

Kakashi's voice was dangerously low as he addressed the younger man. "Are you shocked? Surely any shinobi should always be prepared for a chance encounter?"

Mizuki was visibly startled. "I – I - I, er, you surprised me, ANBU san!" he squeaked.

Kakashi glided towards him in an intimidating manner until the porcelain nose of his dog mask was millimetres away from Mizuki's face. The ANBU reached for his kunai, and in an instant it was at the chuunin's throat, an increasing pressure being applied to his Adam's apple.

Kakashi wanted to put Mizuki into the same situation that Iruka had had to face; to know the fear of facing an assassin.

"I have just one thing to say to you," Kakashi whispered quietly, his voice so soft it was barely audible.

Mizuki nodded attentively, eyes wide with fear.

Kakashi continued, "Pray for the safety and welfare of Umino Iruka." He paused before continuing softly, "Because if anything – _anything_ – bad happens to him, I will be coming after _you_."

And with that the ANBU vanished in a puff of smoke.


	20. Conscience Does Make Cowards of Us All

Hello again. Wow - I've _finally_ found some time to write. And I think I'll even be able to publish this chapter within a month. Go me! Many thanks, as ever, to everyone who has reviewed/faved/followed/PMd - it is always lovely to hear from you and I really appreciate you taking the time to read this story and to get in touch. Seeing as I'm on a roll, I'll get on with the chapter. Warnings for unbetad'ness, me not owning Naruto, some bad language, some light smut (which I think falls into the realm of the M rating, book burners) and, well...

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><p>Chapter 20 - Thus Conscience Does Make Cowards of Us All<p>

Kakashi had spent the morning with the dogs. He was convinced that they were nin-ken but, although he'd tried to see if he could find out anything about them, he could not find any evidence to suggest that they had a summoner, or at least one that was alive. He had brought them to his somewhat cramped shinobi accommodation with the intention of feeding them to express his gratitude for their loyalty and then letting them wander on their way. They had seemed, based on his observation of them on the beach, to be a loose pack.

But somehow they didn't seem to want to leave.

The little pug puppy seemed to be particularly affectionate and, much as he didn't really want to admit it, the ANBU was growing quite attached to them.

Kakashi had a busy day ahead. He had really missed those days on the beach with Iruka. Now he had returned to Konoha, his life had returned to a relentless whirl of shinobi duties and he had a feeling that a new mission was imminent. He had been summoned to see the Hokage.

As Kakashi entered Sarutobi's office he noticed that a tall man with short brown hair and a mask just the tip of his chin, was standing quietly in the corner. The Third had clearly been briefing him prior to Kakashi's arrival.

"Ah, good afternoon Kakashi." The Hokage eyes creased from beneath his conical hat as he smiled benevolently at both ninja who were standing before him.

"Good afternoon, Hokage sama," Kakashi replied, bowing respectfully but casting a baleful glance at the shinobi standing to his right. Their leader continued, "This is Tenzou," he added, by way of introduction.

"Yoroshiku, Tenzou," Kakashi nodded a curt greeting.

The younger man bowed briefly in response. "Yoroshiku, sempai."

Sempai? The ANBU raised an eyebrow and glanced quizzically at the Hokage.

The Third began to issue instructions. "Kakashi, I have recently promoted Tenzou to the Black Ops corps. I would like you to take him on as your trainee. I have a mission lined up for you both. I think it would be good experience for you to train a subordinate and I believe that Tenzou will benefit from your skill and experience."

"Yes, Hokage sama," Kakashi acknowledged.

It was a good move on the part of Sarutobi. He was fully aware that Kakashi had recently lost his team-mate and was likely to be grieving, even if he wouldn't show his feelings to anyone. The village leader was perfectly aware that Kakashi was more than capable of completing missions on his own but he felt that it was important that the young ANBU joined another team. Tenzou was a talented young shinobi, ideal ANBU material, and the Third knew that Kakashi was best placed to train him. He also felt it would be beneficial for Kakashi to have a break from the village, to keep him busy rather than dwelling on Rin's loss, and he had an important training mission planned for them.

"So those are the basics," Sarutobi declared. "I will send you the full details of the mission via the usual networks in due course."

Both ANBU bowed to acknowledge their leader's instructions.

"Thank you both. Tenzou, you may leave." The Hokage paused. "Kakashi, I would like you to stay for a moment."

The silver haired ANBU bowed slightly to acknowledge his new colleague as Tenzou left the room. Then he waited until the Third decided to speak.

"Kakashi. I have had the opportunity to read your mission report as well as Umino Iruka's. I believe you learned a great many more details about how your comrade Rin died. I am very sorry that you had to learn of her death this way. I also acknowledge that you 'dealt' with the Iwa responsible. As you may know, Shibi and Ibiki have returned now, accompanying the Iwa leader Kemono, who is currently being interrogated. Do you have any desire to be involved with this?"

"No, Hokage sama." Kakashi replied, honestly. If Ibiki had anything to do with the interrogation, he would almost be feeling sorry for Kemono. The brute would rue the day he took on any Konoha shinobi. Kakashi had seen the way Ibiki had treated Iruka in that forest after he and Shibi had captured the chuunin. It wasn't pleasant. The guy was perfectly suited to a role in T&I.

"Very well. We will endeavour to investigate Kemono's DNA to understand this unusual and potentially useful bloodline limit. I just wanted to keep you informed."

"Thank you, Hokage sama," the ANBU responded in a deadpan tone.

Maintaining control of his feelings was what Kakashi needed to do.

Sarutobi considered for a moment whether he should ask Kakashi if he would like to talk about Rin with him. He cared very much about the young shinobi and was all too aware of the earlier tragedies – Sakumo, Obito – that the silver haired ninja had had to face. He admired the ANBU's stoicism. But he also knew Kakashi's personality very well. The ninja had been trained, as had all ninja, to suppress emotion. The Third observed Kakashi's expression – as much as he could determine from the small part of the ANBU's face that was visible – and decided not to pursue matters. He hoped the ANBU would talk to him if he needed to. He believed that a new mission with a new team-mate would keep Kakashi motivated and would give him the opportunity to form new bonds.

The Hokage didn't know that Kakashi had already formed a companionship with another shinobi. Or that what the ANBU actually wanted was to stay in Konoha for a while.

To get to know the man he had fallen in love with.

The Hokage was very proud of this loyal shinobi, and felt he would go far. His next task was to look into Umino Iruka's future role in Konoha. He had a cunning plan for that young ninja.

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><p>Iruka spent ages trying to decide what best to wear for his date with Kakashi. He was really excited. He couldn't think of anything he'd rather do than meet with the ANBU and get to know him better. Especially while eating noodles at his favourite noodle bar. It was all just perfect.<p>

Eventually he decided on a teal shirt and black chinos. He spent time showering and made sure he looked presentable. He wasn't really sure how he should dress, after all, the pair had spent most of their time on the beach together naked. The one thing that Iruka was sure of was that eating noodles at Ichiraku's naked was a really bad idea. But the thought made him smile. He was feeling happy and relaxed. He couldn't wait to meet up with the ANBU.

Kakashi had no idea what to wear. He hadn't actually thought about it very much. He figured Iruka liked him; he couldn't see how what he wore would make any difference to how their relationship would turn out.

Iruka turned up to Ichiraku's five minutes early. He was excited and nervous, but mainly excited. He hadn't really had a chance to catch up with Kakashi since they had arrived home and he felt a great sense of anticipation. He had missed the sun-kissed days and passionate nights they had spent together on that Iwa beach and he didn't want to lose the possibility that they might be able to develop a really solid relationship.

Teuchi knew Iruka well and greeted him with a broad grin. "Irasshaimase!" he cried, and poured a beer for Iruka.

The chuunin waited. And waited. Even though he knew Teuchi well, he felt a bit embarrassed. Still, Ayame was there, helping her dad behind the counter and he chatted to her. He got on really well with kids. Iruka could picture her running the place one day, such was her enthusiasm for customer service.

After half an hour, the chuunin was beginning to feel truly miffed. He reached into his pocket to find some change to pay for the beer and was just about to leave when a flash of silver materialised before him.

"I'm really sorry I'm so late," the ANBU explained, sounding slightly breathless as he spoke. Iruka glanced up at him, eyes narrowed. This date wasn't getting off to a great start.

Kakashi decided to brazen things out. His visible eye arched into a smile. He realised that he had to bluff, "You see, I was on my way here but over the road, just by the hospital, there was this tiny kitten up a tree. It had clearly lost its mother and was miaowing in the most pathetic way. It looked so lost and lonely, I couldn't exactly leave it there."

Truth was, he was surprisingly nervous. And Kakashi was _never _nervous. He had faced more foe and endured more tragedy than anyone else in his peer group. He _really_ wanted to get to know Iruka better, but, somehow, he wasn't sure if they could make it work.

Iruka's heart melted at Kakashi's explanation. If the chuunin had thought about what he had actually said, he'd have realised that it was an outrageous excuse as it would have taken the ANBU precisely three milliseconds to teleport to the top of the tree, a further second to reach for the cat (avoiding its claws if it had turned out to be particularly bad-tempered), and another two point five seconds to execute a perfect, and highly skilled, double somersault leap from the tree to the ground.

Not half an hour.

Iruka should have berated the ANBU, but instead he smiled. He had such a forgiving nature, Kakashi felt quite guilty that he had made up such a disgraceful excuse.

Kakashi smiled back at his lover. He wanted to pull the chuunin into his arms and embrace him warmly. The ANBU had missed holding Iruka, missed his warmth, missed his scent, missed the hugs, missed their lovemaking. The pair looked into each other's eyes. They wanted to kiss. _Really_ wanted to kiss. Kakashi would have had no problems pulling down his mask and plunging his tongue into Iruka's mouth but he was aware that they were in a public place. He wasn't sure about how Iruka felt about kissing another man in front of people he knew. The ANBU was fully aware that Iruka didn't have a problem being with him, but he had also discovered that the chuunin was very popular in Konoha and was concerned about how other people might react to their burgeoning relationship.

He fantasised briefly about Iruka reaching across to pull down Kakashi's mask and kiss him. Kakashi would grip Iruka tightly, hardly able to believe that the chuunin would want him so badly. They would kiss with a fiery passion, each demonstrating to the other how much he had missed him, how much he wanted him. Ichiraku would tease them, eventually informing them that they'd had their appetiser and ask them what they would like for main course. They would pull away immediately and Iruka would blush in the most charming and adorable way.

Instead, they tentatively reached out and gave each other a brief, and slightly awkward, hug.

Iruka was quite disappointed that Kakashi was wearing his mask. He had such a strikingly handsome face, the chuunin couldn't understand why he would hide it. For his part, the ANBU really wished that Iruka hadn't tied his hair up. He had loved stroking those soft chestnut strands, and he found the way that Iruka's long hair framed his handsome face made him very attractive.

They sat together at the bar and ordered beer and ramen; tonkatsu for Iruka, vegetable for Kakashi, who wasn't so keen on fried food. As ever, Ichiraku prepared a feast and both shinobi thoroughly enjoyed their meal.

Iruka felt happy, Kakashi was nervous. He hadn't really been on dates before – after all, Rin had set him up with Shikunshi - and he didn't really know what to do. Everything had been so much simpler on the beach. Just two men, falling in love, with no one else to interfere or to judge them. Still, the noodles were delicious and Iruka was such a friendly, happy soul, as they ate, Kakashi found himself beginning to feel more relaxed.

After noodles, the pair decided to go to the Crossed Kunai to have a drink. Iruka felt a little uncomfortable as he was worrying that Kakashi's ex, Shikunshi, might be there.

And indeed he was, sitting in his usual booth. He gave a wry smile when he noticed Kakashi walk in with another man. Kakashi's body language made it clear that the ANBU was most definitely on a date and Shikunshi was a true gentleman, waiting for his ex to lead the way, to determine whether they should greet each other or not. It would have been rude not to have greeted his former boyfriend, but Kakashi made a point of introducing Iruka to him politely and then firmly directing the chuunin towards a private booth.

Iruka smiled as they sat down opposite each other. Now was the time to get to know Kakashi in home territory. The ANBU's eye arched into a grin, his lovely mouth with its soft full lips hidden behind that damned mask. Iruka had to comment.

"You never wore that mask on the beach. Why do you wear it all the time now?"

Kakashi considered the question. No one had ever asked him that, not even Rin. She had just accepted it as part of his character.

"I don't know. I always have."

"You didn't wear it on the beach!" Iruka chuckled.

"I didn't wear much of anything on the beach," the ANBU retorted.

Iruka observed the way Kakashi drank his beer. He raised the glass to his lips, then rapidly pulled down his mask before taking a swig and replacing the fabric in one sweeping motion. His reflexes, honed through many years of shinobi training, had refined the process such that it was impossible to see his face as he drank.

The pair chatted for a while. Small talk mainly, punctuated by moments of silence. Suddenly they found they didn't really know what to say to each other. Whereas on the beach they hadn't stopped talking, they now seemed to have run out of things to say. Everything somehow felt different.

Things picked up when a flash of green crashed through the doors and made their twinkle-toed way to the bar. Kakashi groaned. Iruka looked curious. He'd come across the Green Beast before – _everyone _knew Gai - but the chuunin, who was a lower rank, had never really conversed with him. And he certainly didn't know about Kakashi's ongoing – albeit one-sided - rivalry with the jounin.

"My rivaaaal!"Gai's voiced boomed above the ambient noise of the pub. Everyone turned around to look, realised it was Gai and immediately returned to their conversations.

"Oh Kami," Kakashi hissed. "Not him. Not now."

Iruka raised an eyebrow, "You know him?"

"Er, yeah," replied the ANBU in a non-committal tone.

Gai made his way over to the couple in a couple of enthusiastic leaps, despite Kakashi glaring at him with every joyful stride he made.

"Aaah, my rival!" he greeted his friend.

"Hello, Gai," Kakashi replied, without enthusiasm.

"I haven't seen you for _weeks_. Surely that Iwa journey couldn't have taken you that long? I would have no doubt beaten you there… and back."

Kakashi bristled. But he wasn't going to bite. "There were complications," he muttered.

"Ah. Just as well you never took me up on that challenge, then," Gai said, with just a hint of glee in his voice.

"Whatever."

"My friend," Gai flashed a smile as he sat down beside Kakashi and shoved him along the seat. The ANBU shifted reluctantly as the Green Beast continued, "I have a new challenge. And we are in the perfect place for it. We can even do it right now!"

Kakashi glared at him, but Gai was oblivious to the silver haired shinobi's irritation.

"What say you to a dancing competition? On the dance floor? Judged by our peers? Tonight!"

Kakashi exhaled slowly and annunciated his response as though talking to a child. "Gai," he spoke slowly and carefully, "Fuck off."

Gai grinned, patted Kakashi on the back and bounded off, leaving the ANBU alone with Iruka. The chuunin looked shocked at Kakashi's rudeness but he could tell that Gai somehow hadn't been offended. Kakashi shrugged as his eye arched into a smile.

"He's okay. He thinks I'm joking," the ANBU declared.

And so the pair settled down once more to enjoy their evening. But no sooner had they started up a conversation when they were interrupted. This time it was Iruka's friends. The chuunin was far too polite to ask them to go away, but they had all heard about his mission and wanted to see him. They didn't stay for long, but it was a constant distraction for the pair.

The only blessing, Kakashi decided, was that that rat Mizuki hadn't shown up.

Eventually, the evening came to a close. It had been an odd date; very different to the time they had spent together over the past few weeks, with constant interruptions and occasional uncomfortable - albeit unintentional - silences. But they had enjoyed a few rounds of beer and were pleasantly intoxicated - not blind drunk,but just a little buzzed. They walked out into the street together. It was a balmy night, warm and pleasant. When the pair looked up, they could see the stars twinkling in cloudless sky. They strolled together through the roads of Konoha, from the main street, through the minor lanes, heading towards the shinobi living complex. The area was quiet – ninja and civilians alike had returned home for the evening, ready to resume their duties the next day.

"So, where next?" Iruka volunteered. "Anything you'd like to do?"

"I could think of something," Kakashi murmured, his cock twitching at the thought of being with Iruka again. He'd really missed those long, leisurely nights, lying languidly in each other's arms. He missed the warmth of Iruka's body. He also missed their passionate lovemaking. He had been amazed at how quickly Iruka, who had been wildly inexperienced, had used his natural passion and intuition to become the most amazing lover.

Iruka smiled, a seductive little smirk, and batted his eyelashes. "Your place or mine?" he declared softly. Kakashi felt his stomach turn cartwheels.

"Well, my place is full of dogs, so..."

"Oh, the dogs are still with you?" Iruka exclaimed with enthusiasm. "That's great. How are they doing? How's that cute little pup?"

Kakashi stepped towards his lover, a dangerously sexy glint in his visible eye. "Don't change the subject. The dogs are fine," he said, as he moved closer. Iruka's eyes widened as the ANBU pulled down his mask in leaned in to kiss the chuunin. Their lips crashed together. It was as though the whole evening had been building up to this moment.

When they finally broke the kiss, Iruka gasped for air. "You took my breath away," he declared, eyes wide with excitement.

"I plan to do more than that, Iruka," Kakashi's voice was low and husky. "I'm going to make you feel so good, you're gonna scream my name."

Iruka shivered with pleasure at the prospect. He had missed Kakashi so much over the last few days. "So," he gasped, trying not to appear too eager, "was it my place then?"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow and nodded an affirmative response. Iruka felt the need to explain, "I only have a single bed though."

Kakashi leaned forward and licked his earlobe, sending shivers down the chuunin's spine. Iruka could feel his hot breath as he whispered, "We'll just have to get very close then, won't we?"

Then the ANBU wrapped his arms around Iruka. "Tell me where you live?" and immediately teleported them to Iruka's apartment.

It was a small flat, standard shinobi accommodation, but it was functional. There was a single bed in the corner, beside the window, which looked out over Konoha. It was possible to see across to the Hokage Monument if Kakashi craned his neck, but only just.

The first thing that Kakashi noticed was how Iruka had made his space so personal. There were photos on every spare surface. They were mainly of a young couple who were clearly in love. As Kakashi examined the array more closely, he noticed that a baby appeared in a number of the pictures of the couple and then a young boy, who was obviously Iruka. The chuunin was so proud of his parents, he had photos of them everywhere. Kakashi had never kept any photos of his parents. He didn't have any of his beloved mother and, although he was getting to a place emotionally where he didn't despise his dad, he still didn't want to be reminded of him. The ANBU's most precious photo was that of Team Minato. But even the thought of that made him feel wistful when he realised that the entire team, bar him, was dead.

Iruka also had a number of photos of his friends and his genin team. Mizuki featured in many of the shots, much to Kakashi's disappointment. He was very worried that the chuunin still considered that weasel to be a friend.

Kakashi continued to look around the room and Iruka walked up behind him, wrapping his arms around the ANBU's slim waist. He squeezed tightly and reached on his tip-toes to kiss the nape of Kakashi's neck. The ANBU threw his head back and let Iruka kiss and lick at his throat. Kami, he'd missed the chuunin's touch.

Much as Kakashi was enjoying Iruka's attentions, he wanted more. Something he had craved over the last few days. He spun around, gripping the chuunin's shoulders and pulled him into a kiss. Their lips melted together then they both simultaneously opened their mouths, their tongues pushing insistently against each other, each demonstrating a desperate need to show how much they had missed the other.

Iruka wrapped his arms around Kakashi and squeezed him tightly. The ANBU growled and pushed his tongue further inside Iruka's mouth, deepening the intensity of the kiss. The chuunin moaned at the contact. He was beginning to feel increasingly aroused. The ANBU's hand slipped behind Iruka's neck and reached up to pull at his hair tie, releasing the soft silky strands.

As they continued their kiss, Kakashi placed his arms around Iruka's slim waist and picked him up. He set the chuunin down gently on the bed then, with some reluctance, broke the kiss and started removing Iruka's clothes. He slowly unbuttoned the lovely teal shirt, admiring the chuunin's rock hard abs as he did so. Then he pulled off Iruka's trousers, raising his eyebrow in a mischievous way when he realised quite how aroused the chuunin was. Kakashi removed his own clothes in an instant and pounced.

Flesh pressed against flesh, each of them desperate to give the other pleasure, they writhed together, eager to explore the deepest recesses of the other's body.

They made love for hours.

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><p>In the early hours of the morning, completely sated, Iruka drifted off into a blissful sleep. Lying by Kakashi's side, feeling the warmth of the silver haired shinobi's embrace, he felt safe, secure and very happy. Sure, the date could probably have gone better, but the sex had been fantastic, the hugs even better and he felt optimistic that they had a real chance that they could form a proper, even long-term, relationship. He was absolutely ready for this.<p>

Kakashi's emotions were a mess again. He drew his arms around Iruka more tightly and buried his nose in the long strands of the chuunin's chestnut hair, inhaling deeply. He loved Iruka's scent, it made him feel calm. He knew in his heart that he truly loved Iruka but, unlike the chuunin, he was feeling uneasy about whether they could actually make the relationship work. He was still grieving for Rin and it didn't help that feelings of sadness were mixing with feelings of joy. He felt guilty that he should allow himself to feel so good when really he should be distraught.

He wanted it to work, wanted it to work so badly, and yet something inside him was holding back. The date had been a bit of a disaster – he had been late, they had been constantly interrupted but, worse, they had run out of things to say a number of times. How was it that they had never stopped talking on the beach?

What was it about those precious days that had somehow been so exciting and, almost paradoxically, so tranquil?

There had to be more to Kakashi's feelings than a simple whirlwind romance. It wasn't mere infatuation, his feelings were far stronger than that.

But somehow the practicalities of shinobi life, of missions, of danger, of injuries, of fulfilling their duties, of meeting with their friends in a public place without yet acknowledging the relationship had felt awkward for him and slightly uncomfortable.

The ANBU had never been a great one for sleep, he'd learned how to exist without significant rest since he was a boy. When on a mission, he never, ever slumbered. He had always been slightly envious of Obito, who would fall asleep as soon as his head hit the floor, pillow or not, and could then leap into action with all the energy of a hyperactive puppy dog the following morning. Kakashi had been more cautious, more conscientious, always taking responsibility for keeping watch.

Lying beside Iruka, he felt safe and warm and eventually he dozed into a hazy half-sleep, balanced on the cusp of a dream. His thoughts became fuzzy and unclear.

As he drifted off it felt, for a brief instant, as though he was back on the beach. Feelings of contentment, of fulfilment, dare he say, happiness?

He felt as though he was floating on a small cloud. Was it mist? Or was it dust? Maybe sand? Slowly, his breathing began to feel more laboured, as though the atmosphere was polluted. He could still breathe but somehow the very process of pulling air into his lungs became more onerous. He opened his eyes. The yellow dust cleared as the ANBU opened his eyes.

Rocks. Rubble. Tall cliffs surrounding him. As high as he could see. Yellow ochre. Bronze. Copper. Rust. Scorched earth. It brought to mind the valleys of the Iwa Shaku mountain range.

Kakashi looked up. He couldn't see the sky. The rocks towered above him, imposing and intimidating.

He tried to jump to the top of the cliffs but, no matter how much energy he put into every leap, he couldn't reach the top. He tried to climb up the cliff faces, but the sandy earth simply crumbled away in his hands, rapidly turning to useless dust.

He scratched at the earth with his fingertips, trying to burrow his way through it, scrabbling like a mole. But it was futile. For every handful of sand that he shifted more simply slid down the cliff side to replace it.

As he pondered his situation he felt a cool gust of air blow from nowhere across his hair. He shivered slightly. The intensity of the breeze increased, blowing sand across his hair and face. The wind picked up further, swirling around him.

He would have panicked but somehow he felt calm.

Spinning.

Suddenly the breeze had transformed into a storm. A whirlwind whisked up around him, picking up tiny particles of sand. It pushed forward as it increased its speed, pushing against the earth trap that engulfed Kakashi. Faster, the rush of air rotated, picking dust and sand, then burying itself into the sides of the cliffs, like a demented drill, boring a way through the dusty earth.

Kakashi closed his eyes and lay low, trying to avoid the strength of the wind but was unable to remain where he was. Caught in the vortex he was forced through the hole in the cliff wall.

He kept his eyes tightly shut as the sting of the sand was too much to bear. When the wind subsided, he opened his eyes again all was still.

Clear.

He found that he was sitting on the ground of a vast yellow plain, dry cracked mud forming random patterns as far as the eye could see in all directions. Disoriented, Kakashi looked around him trying to find some bearings. He spotted an object some distance away.

A body.

Lying on the floor of the valley, face down. He recognised its outline immediately. Instinct told him that it was Rin. He wasn't aware of how he reached the body, he didn't walk, maybe he just floated towards it, but when he arrived where it lay, he knelt reverentially beside it. He placed his gloved hand on the shoulder, touching it tenderly.

The body was cold.

He shivered.

Something inside him wanted to see her face. To say goodbye for one last time. He imagined her at peace, eyes closed, a small smile perhaps, a serene expression on her lovely face.

The ANBU gently gripped her shoulders and rolled her onto her back. He gasped with horror and fell back as he saw…

…Iruka's face.

He screamed a silent scream.

Volume stolen by the void.

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><p>Kakashi shook himself awake, feeling slightly nauseous. He was sweating and his pulse was racing. Slowly, he began to control his emotions, regulated his breathing and forced himself to calm down. It had just been a dream.<p>

He pressed his body closer to Iruka and held him tightly, feeling his warmth, listening to his gentle breathing.

It was then that it occurred to Kakashi that what had happened to Rin could happen to Iruka. The chuunin was ninja. He was undoubtedly competent but it was part of shinobi life that he would face a number of dangers throughout his career.

Logic told Kakashi that his unconscious mind had confused his feelings for Iruka and Rin. It had been a dream, a fleeting flash of hesitation that had flitted through his subconscious mind and toyed with his brain. But it had planted a seed of doubt in his head. Was a relationship with another shinobi really feasible? Could they really make it work? Would he spend his days worrying about every moment that Iruka was away on a mission? What if the chuunin moved further up the ranks? The prospect of becoming jounin would result in even more dangerous missions and would only add to the ANBU's concerns.

_Could Kakashi face losing another person that he loved? _

He thought hard about that. He felt the horrid emotions that assaulted him every time he thought about Rin's death well up inside him again. It hurt so much. The pain of loss. Could he really face the prospect of losing Iruka? What if the ANBU simply declared to himself and the world that everyone he had loved was now dead. That would make life easier?

_Wouldn't it? _

Then why had he not stopped thinking about the chuunin every moment they had been apart since they had arrived back home. How could he deny the pleasures of the passion he felt, holding this most beautiful man in his arms? How could he not feel excitement at the thought that this man truly loved him?

And he knew - knew very well - how much the chuunin loved him. He could see it every time he looked into the depths of those lovely dark brown eyes.

As dawn began to break, Kakashi was roused by the sound of very faint tapping on the window. He managed to shift slightly and, without waking Iruka, who was still sleeping soundly, reached across and slid open the window with his free hand.

A grey bird with blue stripes on its wings popped inside the room and hopped on its spindly little legs towards the silver haired shinobi. It was carrying a message in its yellow beak.

Dammit. How did they bloody well know how to find him?

Kakashi reached across and grasped the miniature scroll from the bird's bright yellow beak. It hopped back onto the windowsill and flew away.

As the ANBU opened the scroll and read the contents within, his heart sank. That was it.

Game over.

He and Tenzou had been assigned a two year mission. They were to act as personal guards to a wealthy client who was likely to be targeted by enemy assassins. It was likely to be a highly lucrative contract that would bring in significant income for the village. By having an experienced Black Ops shinobi train a rookie ANBU throughout the duration of the mission, the Hokage could achieve several objectives - to bring in money for Konoha and to end up with another highly skilled ANBU in two years' time. And provide Kakashi the opportunity to bond with a new team-mate. It was a clever strategy.

For the first time in his life, Kakashi wanted to refuse the mission. But his sense of loyalty to his village conflicted with his love for Iruka and his fears for the chuunin's safety reinforced his own feelings about possibly having to face another loss.

He didn't realise that the previous morning, the Hokage had been in touch with the Head of the Shinobi Academy with the purpose of assigning Iruka the role of teacher. Kakashi had no idea that any dangers the chuunin might face in the future were likely to be much reduced.

The ANBU evaluated the situation. He had no choice.

Duty over love.

It was the shinobi way.

The rays of the early morning sun began to glint across the sky, moving stealthily across the window pane and lighting up Iruka's bedroom with a warm glow. With cat-like grace, Kakashi slid off the bed and started dressing. He looked out over Konoha. He would be gone for a very long time and would miss his village.

He glanced down at the chuunin who was sleeping, naked, on the soft bed. Hell, he would really miss Iruka.

The ANBU cast his eyes around the room and spotted Iruka's hair tie. He picked it up and slipped the elasticated band over his elegant fingers and hand, letting it spring to rest on his slender wrist. Then he brought it to his nose, to breathe Iruka's scent once more. It was wrong to take it, but he wanted something to remind him.

Of his first real love.

Then he sat on the bed beside the sleeping chuunin and gently stroked his silky hair. Iruka stirred, muttering something incomprehensible then opened his eyes slowly, to see that Kakashi looking down upon him.

The ANBU was fully clothed, with that damned mask concealing his face.

"I have to go, Iruka," he stated softly and calmly.

Iruka rubbed his eyes blearily, smiled his gentle smile and asked, "Okay. When will I see you next?"

"You won't," came the deadpan reply.

Iruka sat bolt upright, his face flushed furiously and eyes opened wide with confusion and what amounted to downright shock.

"What?"

"I've been assigned a two year mission which starts this morning," Kakashi explained.

"Okay. But surely you will get leave occasionally? Maybe I will get to see you…"

"I think it's better if I just go now..." Kakashi interrupted. "These last few weeks have been…"

He struggled to find the right words – wonderful, amazing, passionate, breathtaking? - how could mere words possibly describe how he truly felt about Iruka?

"…great, but, well, I should just go. Let you get on with your life. It's not going to work. I'm going to be on missions all the time. You're going to be on missions all the time."

"I will wait for you!" Iruka declared with a passion that Kakashi would have expected from him. "We all have missions, it's part of what we do. It might be difficult, really difficult, but we can make this work!"

"It would be better for you if I just left," the ANBU shook his head sadly. Iruka's eyes were filled with hurt. He looked as though he had been betrayed.

"But I love you."

There. He'd said it.

"I know."

Kakashi died a little as he saw the love and sincerity in the chuunin's eyes. The ANBU got up and turned to leave, avoiding making any further eye contact. He knew that if he looked into Iruka's eyes once more, he wouldn't be able to go through with this. And, as far as he was concerned, leaving now was the right thing to do.

For both of them.

But the chuunin wasn't going to let him get away with it. He was convinced that they could make it work. It wouldn't be easy, but they _could _have a future together.

Iruka shouted, "You love me too."

It was true. They both knew it.

Kakashi responded the only way he knew how.

"I can't."

It was for the best. The ANBU had convinced himself of that. After all they'd been through, it was better just to let it go now.

As he walked through the door and vanished from view, Iruka couldn't help but notice how beautiful he looked.


	21. The Pangs of Despised Love

Hello again. Thanks again for all the reviews/faves/alerts/pms etc, always lovely to hear from you. Here's another chapter. There's a lot of smut in it and I'm not sure if the bookburners are still burning books. I like writing smut and I think I need more practice at it, so I've cut the naughtiest bits and put them in my LJ (there's a link in my profile). Usual disclaimers for unbetad'ness and not inventing Naruto and there's some bad language in addition to the smut.

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><p>Chapter 21 The Pangs of Despised Love<p>

_Five years later…_

"Hokage sama, I really must protest," an angry voice piped up from the back of the assembly hall.

Kakashi recognised that voice immediately and was surprised by the courage he could hear in its tone. He frowned as he turned his head to see what Iruka had to say.

The Academy teacher looked angry. He expressed his concerns with a passion that the jounin would have expected of him.

Kakashi sighed. He had always known that Iruka had guts. But Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were _his _students now and he was determined that they should enter the examination.

They argued briefly, each putting forward their views, until the Hokage put the matter to rest, deciding in Kakashi's favour.

Maybe he shouldn't have been so flippant. Joking about the chuunin exams breaking his protégés wasn't really the most sensible of ideas, even if the comments had been made in jest.

As theThird brought the meeting to a close, Kakashi decided that it was time to confront Iruka. They had only had brief interactions since he had walked out on the chuunin so many years ago. Maybe it was time for them to talk. Kakashi had always regretted the way he had handled things.

Just another in a long line of regrets for the jounin.

As the Hokage dismissed the assembled shinobi Kakashi turned and strode directly towards the back of the hall. He found Iruka, firmly gripped him by the wrist and marched the chuunin outside. The younger man was too startled to protest.

In a quiet alley behind the assembly hall, they finally had the chance to talk. Iruka, standing with his back against the wall, was fuming, his face scarlet with rage, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white. Kakashi waited a moment to let him calm down, noting the fury in his eyes, then spoke calmly.

"That was inappropriate, Iruka. I apologise."

"It's totally inappropriate," the chuunin hissed through clenched teeth. "Why can you not see that? They are not ready."

"I agree. Although I wasn't apologising about entering for the exams. I believe that it really is the right thing for them. But I was flippant and rude. That was wrong."

"_They are not ready_," Iruka insisted, ignoring the Copy-nin's attempt at an apology.

"You're right, they're not. I have no expectations of them passing. But it is right that they try."

"No," stated Iruka firmly. "It's too dangerous."

"I am their teacher now. They are under my command. They have already faced dangers far beyond their rank. This will give them valuable experience."

"But Naruto is just not ready. He means a lot to me and, of course, I'm always concerned for his safety but, honestly, he was the dunce of the class. I'm really not sure he can take this on."

Kakashi paused. He cocked his head to one side and asked, "Why do you always ask about Naruto? Why never about Sasuke or Sakura?"

Iruka frowned. "B-because I have become very fond of Naruto. The kid's been through a really rough time. I think of him as a younger brother."

"I'm not worried about Naruto," Kakashi stated casually. Iruka frowned, looking puzzled. The jounin continued, "Naruto may be a knucklehead, but he has a heart of gold and the Will of Fire burns stronger in him than any of his peers. Sheer guts will get him through this. I honestly believe he could achieve his dream of becoming Hokage…"

"… but just the other day you said he would only ever make it to chuunin, like me." Iruka interrupted, "And you were bloody patronising as you said it!" he added, with feeling.

"I was being facetious."

Iruka pouted and put on his most petulant expression. He was secretly quite pleased that Kakashi had at least had the balls to admit it.

Kakashi continued. "If you were going to worry about any of them, you should worry about Sasuke. Naruto is absolutely fine. He's brave and he's determined and he learns from his mistakes. Sakura is actually going to be a very fine kunoichi once she gets those romantic notions of love – which she cannot accept are unrequited - out of her silly little head. Her chakra control is superb and, even though she is terrified most of the time in battle, she stands her ground and doesn't take flight. Sasuke is the one I'm worried about. The kid may be skilled, but he's hell bent on revenge and no good is going come of that."

Both shinobi paused. Iruka was impressed at how keenly this seemingly indifferent jounin had observed his former pupils and also how much he seemed to care for them. He exhaled slowly. He knew deep down that Kakashi was right and that he had no right to exert any influence over the matter.

"I only wanted to protect them," Iruka stated quietly by way of explanation.

"I will always protect them. But I need to push them. They need this challenge. They are more capable than you know."

Iruka's expression softened. He tried to smile. His nose wrinkled as he did so.

"I always liked that about you."

"What?"

"The way your scar creases when you wrinkle your nose. It's cute."

"Piss off," Iruka exclaimed with feeling.

Another silence.

Kakashi pursed his lips underneath his mask as the pair observed each other. He decided to change the subject, but didn't really know what to say.

"So how have you been over the last five years?"

"I became a teacher."

"I kinda knew that. Naruto doesn't stop going on about you."

Iruka smiled reluctantly. "I love the job."

"What else?" Kakashi's visible eye arched into a smile.

"You were right about Mizuki," Iruka sighed. His expression saddened as he recalled how his former friend had not only betrayed him but had tried to kill Naruto, seriously injuring Iruka in the process. "He wasn't a friend at all."

"Yeah, I know. The Hokage wouldn't let me kill him."

"You know about that?"

"Yeah, of course. I went after Mizuki as soon as I heard what happened. I found him and captured him. I handed him over to Ibiki personally."

Iruka looked puzzled. "You did that for me?"

Kakashi nodded. He paused. If he was going to say what he really wanted to say, this was the time. If he didn't say it now, he would never say it.

"I never stopped loving you, you know."

"Baka!" Iruka cried. "You never _started _loving me!"

Kakashi looked crestfallen. It was true. He looked up at Iruka again. Kami, the chuunin was beautiful. Why _had_ he left so suddenly? He really was as stupid as the teacher had declared him to be.

Iruka continued. "It's all bullshit anyway, Kakashi. I know you don't really love me. You told Naruto that everyone you had ever loved was dead."

"Does he tell you _everything_?"

"Yes, but that's not the point."

Kakashi smiled. A wry grin that Iruka couldn't see, hidden as it was behind his mask.

"I lied," he confessed.

"Oh, please," Iruka countered vehemently. "I'm not _that _stupid."

But Kakashi continued, "I'm the mysterious enigmatic sensei, remember? I could hardly introduce myself by saying I had been deeply in love with their former sensei and I regretted leaving him the way I did every single day for five years."

Iruka's expression softened. "I always wondered why you left. I always thought it was something I did wrong that night. I spent weeks trying to work out what it was that upset you so much."

"It wasn't you. It was me. That mission really did take two years. It was awful and really dangerous, but it brought in a lot of money for the village." He paused. "But that was an excuse. What I told myself at the time. The real reason was that I was scared. I was in love with you – you knew that – but I was scared of letting myself love you and having to face the possibility of losing you. My head was fucked up, I'd just lost Rin, and I thought you would be better off without me. I handled it all really badly."

Iruka nodded, his eyes now locked onto Kakashi's single eye. He hated how the jounin masked his most of his face. He was one of the few people in Konoha who had seen that face and knew how truly gorgeousit was. And, even though it would have been a subtle form of revenge to let Naruto know that he knew what Kakashi's face really looked like, he had never, ever mentioned it – not to Naruto nor to anyone.

"Yeah you did," he commented, realising that he was being brutally honest. But then his toned softened, "But we all make mistakes."

"Anyway, at least you still get to eat noodles at Ichiraku's, yeah?"

"You know I eat noodles with Naruto?"

"Of course."

"Are you some crazy stalker?"

"Yeah. No. I mean, I just wanted to watch out for you. To see how you were doing. I would always find where you were whenever I came back from a mission."

"You are a crazy stalker!"

"Stupid, yes. Crazy, no. I still love you, Iruka," Kakashi insisted softly.

Iruka looked up at the man standing before him. He loved the rich tones of Kakashi's smooth voice but he was cautious – he knew that the silver-haired shinobi had a reputation for having a silver tongue. But he could detect absolute sincerity in the jounin's visible eye.

He cocked his head to one side. Kakashi's normally half-lidded eye was open wide and round. It slowly arched into a smile. Kami, Iruka had missed him.

They stood in silence for a while, each observing the other. Kakashi decided that whatever happened next had to be Iruka's move. Whatever the chuunin decided, he would go along with. He'd made it very clear how he felt.

The chuunin observed the jounin for a few moments longer. He had been desperately hurt by Kakashi all that time ago but knew, deep inside, that a spark of love had remained with him. Circumstances had conspired against them, but Kakashi had handled everything terribly. But if he was genuinely willing to give it another go, Iruka had no reason to doubt him. It wouldn't hurt at least to try and patch up their friendship. He took a deep breath.

"Noodles?" he volunteered.

"Really?" Kakashi gasped.

Iruka smiled. But then a shadow of hesitation crossed his face. "Although… I think we have a lot of talking to do and Ichiraku's probably isn't the best place to be if we want some privacy. Naruto's usually hanging around on the offchance that I'll buy him dinner."

Kakashi put any doubts to rest by assuring him, "Don't worry. Every single one of our genin are currently bickering with those kids from Suna. This is the one time we are guaranteed to get some privacy."

Iruka smiled. The scar on his nose wrinkled again in the most adorable way. "Okay, let's go."

Teuchi raised an eyebrow as he saw the pair approaching. He was good friends with Iruka, who was a regular customer, but didn't know Kakashi so well. He knew him by reputation, of course, as the village's top jounin and Naruto's sensei (Naruto didn't stop talking about anyone), but Kakashi was often on missions and didn't often eat out. But neither he nor Ayame ever forgot a customer.

"Irasshaimase!" He greeted them both warmly. "One tonkatsu and one vegetable?" he asked and the shinobi nodded.

Two steaming bowls of ramen were brought to the counter and the pair began slurping merrily. Ichiraku really was an excellent chef and the noodles were delicious.

Ichiraku also served up two glasses of ice-cold beer and declared them to be "on the house," with a knowing wink in Iruka's direction. He had been surprised that he had never seen the pair eat together since that time so many years ago. It had been clear to him that they were on the verge of starting a relationship. He never asked Iruka about Kakashi, the chuunin's visits to his noodle bar had shown him to be in sombre mood for many months afterwards, despite the fact he had tried to remain cheerful.

The pair really enjoyed their meal. They took a leisurely pace and chatted, making small talk about current events in Konoha as they ate. As both finished up together, Kakashi paid the bill then Iruka turned to him and asked, "Okay, what next?"

The jounin's heart leapt. Iruka wanted more? He recalled their first date five long years ago. In retrospect it really had been a disaster. He'd been late and they didn't really know what to say to each other. Then, of course, although the sex had been awesome, he'd just walked out on his lover the following morning – that had really clinched it. Still, that was then. It seemed as though Iruka was giving him a chance to set things right.

"Er, how about some drinks at the Crossed Kunai?" he ventured.

Iruka grinned. He knew what Kakashi was up to. And he was happy to go along with it.

They entered the bar, sat down in a private booth and waved to the barman to order beers. It wasn't particularly busy and the evening was still young, so none of their peers had started drinking that night. Both shinobi were pretty certain that they were going to be the main subjects of the gossip in Konoha that day - anyone present at the Hokage's meeting would have been shocked by Iruka's outburst – he was usually so mild-mannered.

When their beers arrived, Kakashi raised his glass, "To second chances?"

Iruka looked into the jounin's visible eye and, with a serious expression, nodded. They clinked glasses and uttered "Kampai."

At first there was an awkward silence as they sat there, sipping their beer and observing each other. Kakashi's heart began to sink. It was going to be just like that first date, after those precious days on the Iwa beach, falling in love, they had run out of things to say when they had finally reached the village.

Then Iruka spoke up, "You know that we are going to be the main topic of conversation tonight?"

"Yeah. And you know what?" Iruka raised a quizzical eyebrow. "I don't care!" Kakashi declared.

They both laughed. "And if they come in here later on and find us the best of friends, that's really going to set tongues wagging." Iruka giggled. "So, tell me about the Land of Waves," he continued.

And so Kakashi told the chuunin the details of that mission. How Tazuna hadn't been entirely honest with them, how Kakashi had had to confront Zabuza, and eventually Haku, and how his three green genin had not only taken on a mission well beyond their capabilities, they had succeeded.

"You're really proud of them, aren't you?" Iruka declared, his eyes shining as he recognised that his protégés had become real ninja.

"Honestly? Yes."

As the evening progressed, they found that they had so many things to say to each other. Both shinobi began to feel increasingly at ease.

A steady stream of shinobi entered the bar, in pairs or groups. But when a flash of green crashed through the doors and made their twinkle-toed way to the bar Kakashi and Iruka groaned simultaneously.

"My rivaaaal!"Gai's voiced boomed above the ambient noise of the pub. Everyone turned around to look, realised it was Gai and immediately returned to their conversations.

"Oh Kami," Iruka hissed. "Not him. Not now."

Kakashi grinned underneath his mask. He suddenly had a remarkable feeling of deja vu.

Gai made his way over to the couple in a couple of enthusiastic leaps, despite Kakashi glaring at him with every joyful stride he made.

"Aaah, my friends!" he greeted them both. "And _friends _again! So soon?" he continued, his booming voice echoing around the bar.

"Hello, Gai," Kakashi and Iruka replied together, without enthusiasm.

"Ah. So good to see that all disagreements from earlier have been brushed under the carpet. All is well and you have patched up your differences? But - Iruka - I have to say– such fire, such spirit. You surprised us all today."

Iruka glanced at Kakashi and rolled his eyes as the Green Beast turned to address Kakashi without waiting for a response.

"So. Now that you have entered your team for the exams. I'd like to set another challenge. I'd like to bet that more members of my team reach chuunin level than yours. A bit of friendly rivalry to spur them on, yes? What say you?"

Kakashi bristled. It was an unfair challenge. Gai's team had been genin for a year longer than Team Seven. He was just about to open his mouth, when Iruka interrupted, using his most patronising teacher voice, "Gai," he spoke slowly and carefully, "Fuck off."

Gai grinned, patted Kakashi on the back and bounded off, leaving the pair alone once more. Kakashi looked shocked at Iruka's audacity then reached his hand across the table to squeeze the chuunin's, indicating his complete approval. They both sniggered together.

"He's okay. He thinks I'm joking," Iruka declared, recalling Kakashi's rudeness five years earlier.

Kakashi laughed out loud.

He took a sip of his beer and decided he wanted to know whether he was in with a chance. He asked directly, "So, are you seeing anyone?"

Iruka shook his head. "No, not right now."

"Did you see anyone else in the last five years?" The question just popped out.

Iruka's eyes narrowed. He wasn't sure what Kakashi's intention was. "Are you jealous?"

"Yes." the jounin replied, honestly.

"Okay." Iruka took a deep breath. "I had brief relationships with a couple of ninja, one kunoichi and one shinobi, but they never got serious and didn't last longer than a few months. Oh, but I did sleep with Genma a couple of times."

Kakashi's eye nearly burst out of its socket. "You slept with Genma? You slut!"

Iruka could hold the deception any longer. "Of course I didn't!" He burst out laughing at the jounin's reaction. "You're so easy to wind up!"

Kakashi relaxed slightly as Iruka continued, "If I'm honest, though, no one ever came close to you."

He sighed and Kakashi's eye smiled again. It conveyed nothing but happiness; he realised that now wasn't the time to look smug about that fact.

"What about you?" Iruka asked. "Did you sleep with your kohai on that two year mission?"

Kakashi shook his head. He and Tenzou had become good friends as well as trusted comrades, but Tenzou was straight and Kakashi had held no desire for him.

"If I'm honest, I spent all my free time on that mission jerking off, thinking about you."

"You're so filthy, Iruka declared affectionately.

"I mean it. I missed you so damned much. I not only regret that I walked out on you the way I did but that didn't try to make things good when I got home."

Iruka reached across the table and grasped Kakashi's hand. His hazel eyes met Kakashi's dark grey orb and, with an expression of utter sincerity, whispered, "You can make it up to me now."

They finished their beers and walked out of the bar together, then wandered through the streets. As they walked together, Iruka slipped his hand into Kakashi's. The jounin's heart leapt. The chuunin squeezed his hand gently and turned to ask him "So, what next?"

"I could think of something..." the jounin replied. "If you want to**, **that is."

Iruka stopped in his tracks. He'd just had a thought. He turned to face Kakashi, his eyes shining.

"You know what I'd like to do?" He could tell that Kakashi was pretty much up for anything. He could virtually detect the outline of a broad grin underneath that damned mask. Iruka continued "Do you remember the last night we had together on the way back from Iwa? When we made love in that grove at the top of the waterfall?"

Kakashi nodded. He had been back to that place several times, it was _his _place, a place where he could go to get away from shinobi life, if only for a few hours. It always held a certain melancholy for him as he recalled that night he had spent there with Iruka, the last evening that they had had together before they returned home.

"I want to go there again. With you."

Kakashi's visible eye arched into a smile. "I can't think of anywhere nicer." He paused, "You're sure about this?"

Iruka nodded. Kakashi pulled the chuunin towards him and embraced him. Grateful for the chuunin's big heart and willingness to forgive, Kakashi held him tightly as though he never wanted to let him go. He couldn't believe that he was actually getting another chance. He had never stopped loving Iruka. Not for a moment.

But he had not known how to try to make amends.

He couldn't believe that an argument - in front of the Hokage no less - would bring them together. The jounin buried his nose in Iruka's hair and inhaled his scent. Kami, the chuunin smelled so good. He had yearned for this day, never conceiving that it might happen, always feeling that he had blown his chance, never even hoping that Iruka might forgive him.

Kakashi held the chuunin in his arms for several minutes. His heart was beating fast. He felt happy. Eventually Iruka looked up and asked softly, "Well. Are we going?"

"Yeah. Hold onto me. I know the code to get us through the village's security barrier. I'll teleport us out of here."

Iruka held tight and closed his eyes. He recalled the teleportations that he had experienced before with Kakashi at Iwa. It was an odd sensation, slightly disorienting, although, as it turned out, better than he remembered. The shinobi emerged in the forest and immediately started running together, making their way towards that special place.

When they approached the waterfall, Kakashi scooped the chuunin into his arms and teleported them both to the grove at the top.

Iruka clung tightly to Kakashi's firm shoulders and closed his eyes. He felt a whoosh and shuddered when he felt the teleport finish. When he opened his eyes the pair were lying together on the soft grass. It was a lovely night, warm and the air was clear. The leafy grove basked in the glowing light of the full moon. The only noise they could hear was the distant splish-splash of the waterfall.

"Very romantic," Iruka commented, as he continued to hold Kakashi. He liked holding Kakashi. In fact, right now he really didn't feel like ever letting him go.

Kakashi leaned back slightly to look at him and then reached to pull down his mask. Iruka unconsciously licked his lips as he gazed once more upon the jounin's face. That straight nose, those full lips. Kami, he really was stunning.

"I want to kiss you," Kakashi murmured, as he held his gaze on Iruka. The teacher smiled as the jounin leaned in.

Their lips met. Tentatively at first, a sensation that was both new to each of them and yet wonderfully familiar.

Their tender touches soon gave way as their desire for the other took over. Kakashi opened his lips and pushed his tongue inside Iruka's warm mouth. The chuunin moaned at the contact and welcomed Kakashi inside.

They kissed for several minutes, exploring, relearning, until the jounin shifted slightly, to kiss and lick at the chuunin's throat and reached his hand behind Iruka head to release his hair. He ran his elegant fingers through the long soft, strands, marvelling at how silky it was. He then lightly trailed his fingers along the back of Iruka's neck and top of his shoulders. He could feel a slight tension in the teacher's shoulder muscles.

"You're tense?" he murmured, licking at the chuunin' earlobe.

"A little maybe..." It had been a trying day, after all, it wasn't every day that you made a big fuss about something to the Hokage in front of all the Leaf's assembled ninja. But that row was long forgotten and Iruka really didn't want Kakashi to stop kissing him. He loved the sensations of the jounin's very talented lips pleasuring all those sensitive spots on his neck, kissing, licking and nipping at his tender flesh.

"Let me give you a massage," Kakashi decided. With a final sweep of his tongue, he concluded licking at Iruka's neck and reached round to remove the chuunin's shinobi vest and pull his undershirt off. He then laid Iruka on the ground and rolled him over so that he was lying on his tummy.

Kakashi was visibly shocked when he saw Iruka's back and inhaled sharply at the scar from the giant shuriken Mizuki had used to attack Naruto before Iruka had launched himself into its path. It was large and jagged and cut right the way across his back. The skin was pink and smooth and felt firm and slightly warm to the touch.

Iruka could sense Kakashi's hesitation and turned his neck, a look of hurt in his eyes that he couldn't disguise. He bit his lower lip and whispered "Looks awful, doesn't it? I'm so sorry."

"Why on earth are you sorry? It wasn't your fault. Does it hurt?"

Iruka shook his head and faced forward again, resting his chin on his folded arms. "It hurt like hell when it happened, but it just feels numb now – there is no feeling in the scar at all. It's so ugly though, ne?"

Kakashi cursed Mizuki. What a complete bastard Iruka's 'friend' had turned out to be. He deeply regretted not bringing a grey-haired corpse back to the village.

"Nothing about you could ever be ugly, Iruka," he murmured as he leaned forward to brush the chuunin's hair aside and kiss the back of his neck. He then sat up, straddled the teacher's lower back and placed his hands on the chuunin's shoulders. He slowly started moving his thumbs in a circular motion, working at Iruka's muscles. Before long, he could feel the tension melt away.

Iruka just lay there enjoying the massage. Kakashi knew exactly how to make sure that he was relaxed. He loved the way the jounin touched him, it was sensual and soothing. He was beginning to feel increasingly aroused.

Kakashi could tell how much his lover was enjoying his touch and he, too, wanted more. He started trailing his fingertips along Iruka's spine, up and down with a tantalising touch, smiling to himself as he saw the teacher relax further in response to the tingling sensations. He then leaned forward and placed hot kisses across Iruka's back and shoulder blades. The chuunin sighed softly. He was enjoying every moment of Kakashi's attentions.

Eventually the jounin decided that he wanted another kiss. He could spend the rest of his life kissing Iruka. The chuunin was so hot, so responsive and – could it possibly be true? – his. He gently rolled the teacher onto his back and lay down beside him, pulling Iruka's chin towards him to claim another kiss. Their tongues battled as each explored the other's mouth, relishing the wonderful sensations.

As they continued their kiss, the chuunin wrapped his arms around the jounin but Kakashi let his hands roam across Iruka's bare chest. The chuunin's skin was soft, but his flesh was firm. Occasionally, the jounin would let his fingertips brush across one of the teacher's pert pink nipples feeling it harden at his touch. He could hear Iruka moan slightly into his mouth, but neither shinobi broke the kiss.

Kakashi felt so good that Iruka was clearly enjoying his attentions and pressed his body closer to the chuunin, starting to focus on his nipple. He reached for the nub and plucked at it between his forefinger and thumb; gently at first, but then slowly applying more pressure. Iruka's pulse quickened as he became increasingly aroused.

Eventually Kakashi broke the kiss to concentrate on pleasuring Iruka. He loved how responsive the chuunin was to his touch. He kissed at Iruka's throat, licking and nipping, all the while ensuring that he was continuing to abuse that nipple. He slowly slid his way down Iruka's body, using his mouth and tongue to kiss and lick at the teacher's beautiful bare chest. Slowly, slowly, he worked his way down until he was placing hot, open mouthed kisses on the chuunin's firm belly.

When he reached the waistband of Iruka's standard issue shinobi trousers, he slithered down further and laid his silver head gently on Iruka's thigh, facing the very large bulge that was causing the fabric to stretch incredibly tightly. Iruka brought his hand to rest on Kakashi's head and stroked his spiky hair. It always amazed him that those silver spikes could feel so soft. The jounin glanced up to see Iruka, face flushed and breathing hard, gazing at him with an intensity that made the older man shudder with pleasure.

Kakashi's nimble fingers began to tug at the waistband on Iruka's trousers. Holding his gaze firmly on Iruka, he waited until the chuunin nodded his wide-eyed and very eager assent, before loosening the tie and very carefully pulling the material over Iruka's large arousal. Then, lightning fast, he removed Iruka's trousers and pants, discarding them on the grassy ground. The teacher was completely naked, lying on his back, the very picture of seduction. Kakashi couldn't wait. He moved straight in.

* * *

><p>Both shinobi increased the pace, their bodies tensing as the pleasure built up to almost unbearable levels. Their eyes locked, they came together.<p>

Iruka waited for a moment, to let the aftershocks of their orgasms subside, then lifted himself off Kakashi and lay down on top of him. The jounin wrapped his arms around his lover and held him tight. Their hearts were beating fast and they were both panting heavily. Both completely satisfied.

But even after the most amazing sex it was the contact between them, the warm embrace, that Kakashi found he relished most. The jounin reached around to stroke Iruka's soft brown hair and the chuunin snuggled closer to him.

"Thank you, that was amazing," Iruka whispered softly.

"Thank you," Kakashi replied.

Iruka started to roll off Kakashi's body, he was slightly worried that he might be crushing the jounin. They could do with cleaning up a bit. But Kakashi held him tightly.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked.

"Just to lay alongside you. I'm heavy, ne?"

"You're staying right here. I want you as close to me as you can be." Kakashi replied.

He paused for a moment and took a deep breath. He had something to say. He didn't know how to say it without sounding corny or clichéd. So he kept it simple.

"Iruka. I love you."

"I know," the chuunin sighed contentedly. He raised his head slightly so that he was looking into Kakashi's eyes. "I love you too."

Kakashi smiled. His lovely shy smile, so hidden from the world. Damn, Iruka had missed that smile most of all. It was _his _smile.

No more words were needed. They held each other close in the warmest of embraces.

Then drifted off into a deep perfect sleep, lying in each other's arms.

* * *

><p>The next morning Iruka woke to find that Kakashi wasn't underneath him. Nor beside him. He rolled over and looked around the tranquil grove, but could see no sight of the jounin. Had it happened again? One marvellous fuck and Kakashi was gone? He sighed.<p>

He sat up and, brushing his tangled hair out of his bleary eyes, looked towards the river flowing to the waterfall. Sticking out from the long grass by the water's edge was a pair of feet. Kakashi was lying down by the riverside, clearly engrossed in something. Iruka got up and made his way towards the jounin, stealthily, with the aim of surprising him and maybe tickling his feet.

But before he could get anywhere near, Kakashi raised his hand, indicating that Iruka should stop.

"Hold it," came a fierce whisper. Iruka sighed. The jounin hadn't even looked round. How could he possibly know that the chuunin had tried to creep up on him? He really was a bloody genius.

Iruka froze, as instructed. Then with a circular sweep of his arm and a minimal splash, Kakashi threw a plump trout at the chuunin, before turning to face him and exclaim, "Breakfast?"

Iruka grinned. Turned out the jounin had doing a bit of tickling of his own, lulling the trout into a daze before whipping him out of the water.

The teacher immediately recalled those wonderful days on the beach. Foraging, living off the land and sea, languid days in the sunshine, falling in love, being in love. Without any complications.

Kakashi found some tinder and quickly started a fire using his fireball jutsu. Iruka located some green twigs from the bushes nearby and ponassed the trout by butterflying it and splaying it on the sticks that he had sharpened with his kunai. The fish only needed a few minutes of cooking time – it was so fresh, and utterly delicious.

As they finished their meal, they started clearing up. Both knew that they really had to get back to the village.

"I'm really, really late. The kids were expecting me three hours ago," Kakashi commented lazily.

Iruka sat bolt upright. "That's awful! You must go immediately."

"Why?"

"Because you can't keep them hanging around."

"But I have done for the last few months. Anyway, I'm only going to tell them they've been entered for the chuunin exams, then they can go."

"But that's not fair to them, Kakashi."

"It's been working a charm. Every time I am horrendously late, it gives them the opportunity to get to know each other as team-mates. They will bitch about me endlessly, but it gives them a chance to form important bonds, even if it appears that all they are doing is arguing."

"You've really thought this through, haven't you? I thought you did it to irritate them."

"Well, of course, that part is fun as well…"

Iruka punched the jounin playfully. "...But, it's important that they bond," Kakashi noted. "And they are doing surprisingly well."

His lover lay back down on the grass and looked up at the silver haired ninja beside him. "You really do care about them, don't you?"

Kakashi shrugged. "They are the future," he explained. "And, yes, I care about them a great deal. Just don't _ever_ let them know it." He smiled.

He paused and looked up at Iruka, who was grinning back at him. Kami, he loved that smile – it was the very definition of warmth and kindness. "I've had an idea," he declared.

"What's that?"

"I expect them to get through the initial exam. Sakura will answer all the questions correctly, Sasuke will figure out the real reason for the test and Naruto won't have a clue what's going on, but will never give up."

"Go on."

"They may or may not make it through the forest. But, if they do, would you like to be their summons if they manage to get both scrolls? To be able to tell them how proud you are of them?"

"Do you think they will get that far?"

"It's not a given, but I think – if they use their heads and really work together as a team - they might have a chance."

Iruka smiled. "Don't you want to be the first to congratulate them?"

"I think it should be you."

Kakashi leaned in for a kiss. Dammit, Iruka tasted _so _good. How could he have been such a fool to have missed out on this for so long?

"What is Naruto going to say when he finds out his senseis are in love?"

"I don't give a damn what anyone thinks. But, you know, he's a good kid. I think he'll take it really well."

* * *

><p>And I guess that's the end of this story. Well, not quite, because I really want to write an epilogue. But it seems like a good time to thank everyone who has reviewed, favourited, alerted or just plain read it. It's always wonderful to hear from you.<p>

So... just one more chapter to go.


	22. Be All My Sins Remembered

Hello. *Watches tumbleweed blow across the dusty road*. Massive thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter and my thanks to those who didn't like it but were kind enough not to say so. Thanks also for the many faves and follows I've received, I'm really delighted that people are still reading this. Well, It's taken me a loooong while to get my act together to write the promised epilogue, but I am a completer-finisher, so here it is. Oh, warnings for smut.

* * *

><p>Chapter 22 – Epilogue. Be All My Sins Remembered.<p>

25 Years Later...

Kakashi lay on the sofa, relaxing. He had made tea and was expecting Iruka to arrive any time soon.

It wasn't long before he heard the door slide across and Iruka enter the cool room.

"Tadaima!" he called out as he slid the door shut.

It was a hot, humid afternoon outside and it seemed to Kakashi as though his lover had had another energetic day at the Academy.

Kakashi held out his arms to welcome Iruka home and the younger man sank into them.

They kissed.

"Mmm, good day?" the older man asked.

"Trying," came Iruka's slightly terse response.

Kakashi loosened the teacher's hair tie and released his hair, stroking the soft strands as he did so.

"Hmm, I see the brats are giving you more grey hairs," he commented, with an amused tone to his voice.

"I believe the term we use is 'silver', is it not?" the younger man retorted. "And, you can't talk, your hair is completely white, even if it is still as crazily gravity-defying as ever."

"And very distinguished I look too."

Iruka grinned. He leaned in to kiss the jounin again. Then they lay together, lazily sipping their tea.

"How was the council meeting?"

"It was fine. So much easier these days. Naruto comes up with eminently sensible policies and everyone agrees with them. Tsunade gets top points for being so much more flexible than the council members were in her day. I think she remembers how bloody obstructive they were. What about you?"

"Well, I had an interesting day with the pre-genin. You know I take them all for a class a week to see how they are progressing?"

"A good policy for the Academy head to adopt, I'd have thought."

"Well, they have all pretty much mastered basic cloning techniques now. I'm impressed."

"Well, they have a good headmaster who cares about the teaching standards," Kakashi commented. "Are you going to ask Naruto to visit them soon? They always like showing off in front of the Hokage."

"Yeah, he's due to visit next week. Oh, and I did have a request from the twins."

"Hmm?"

"As you know, Sasuke-kun and Sakura-chan will be due to graduate to genin this year and they wanted to ask you whether Godfather Kakashi sensei would be their genin master, just like he was for their dad, seeing as Godfather Iruka sensei was their Academy headmaster."

"Are you serious?"

"_They_ are serious. They really want you to be their sensei."

"Are they trying to kill me off? Those twins are the more hyperactive than their father and I only had one of him to handle. And I'm twice as old as I was when I took him on as my pupil."

Iruka grinned. The Uzumaki twins were good kids. He and Kakashi had often joked how relieved they were that their godchildren had inherited their mother's brains and their father's exuberance rather than the other way round.

"Who were you planning on teaming them with?"

"This year's bunch have all achieved a good standard – they are pretty evenly matched. We were thinking of teaming them up with Uchiha Hanako…"

Kakashi sat bolt upright. "What?! You're pitching me against two – count them – two Byakugan and a pre-genin who has a combined sharingan _and_ the Yamanaka mind-body switch technique?"

"Well, little Hanako-chan's sharingan hasn't awakened yet. And I'm not sure that Sasuke and Ino have decided to teach the mind techniques just yet…"

"Have you forgotten that _my_ sharingan is completely dead now?"

Iruka looked wistful as he nodded. "And I really, really miss it."

Iruka had never once feared that deadly eye. Over the years they had discovered a very powerful use for the sharingan. Since they had rekindled their relationship Kakashi had proved himself to be loyal and trustworthy. And the most amazing lover. Between them the pair had learned to use the sharingan to explore a sensual and erotic side to their relationship. Iruka could choose to look into Kakashi's eye during their lovemaking and share his feelings of pleasure. It was a powerful and liberating experience. But, as expected, Kakashi's sharingan capability had disappeared over time and he was now blind in his left eye.

Kakashi held Iruka close. "I miss it too," he whispered. "But I'm not completely useless yet, ne? I can think of some things we can do later tonight. If you want?"

Iruka grinned. He twisted round to kiss Kakashi, a soft kiss on his unmasked lips. The teacher had been planning and had something he wanted to discuss with his lover and considered that now was a good time to raise the subject.

"Soooo... I was thinking," Iruka declared. "It's our anniversary coming up soon."

"Which one?" Kakashi replied casually, pretending not to know what he was talking about.

"Take your pick. Ten years of marriage, thirty years of being in love or twenty five years of you not being an idiot."

"You're never going to let me forget that, are you?"

Iruka smiled. "I will never let you forget that. I hope to be around to remind you that you were a complete and utter fool for letting me go for five whole years, every single day for the rest of our lives..."

Kakashi squeezed him. "How have I managed to live with you for so long?"

"You've loved every moment."

"True... except for the time that you and Naruto rigged Konoha's gates with a water jutsu and rained a torrent of cold water over me after I'd just returned from a really challenging mission."

"That was hilarious and you know it," Iruka sniggered.

"Anyway, you were saying…" Kakashi changed the subject swiftly.

"I thought that seeing as term finishes soon and it will be a while before you take on the new genin…"

"Er, I hadn't actually agreed to that," Kakashi noted, quite reasonably.

Iruka ignored him. "I think we should take a holiday."

Kakashi smiled. It was exactly like Iruka to think of something like that. It was a great idea, but he wanted to tease the Academy head just a little bit.

"Well, I have council duties and my new book is due to be published soon…"

"Your filthy books can wait," Iruka replied firmly. "I can't believe you took on the Icha Icha series after Jiraiya had passed on. It still astounds me that Jiraiya left his number one fan the rights to his books and characters."

"Well it needed a few years and a major ninja war before I could actually write anything. And I did adapt them slightly."

"You made them gay!"

"And bloody good they are too. I've been selling loads. The fangirls love them."

"I daren't read any of them. I bet you've put all your disgusting fantasies about me in them."

"Yeah. And some." The jounin grinned.

Iruka sat up, turned around and punched Kakashi playfully. The jounin pulled his lover towards him. He buried his nose against the Academy head's hair inhaling his amazing scent. They had been together so very long and yet he could never get enough of Iruka.

"So, where are we going then?"

Iruka paused. He knew exactly where he wanted to go, but a very long time had passed since they had last visited and he wasn't quite sure how Kakashi would react to the suggestion.

"Iwa?" he asked tentatively, "To the beach where we first got to know each other?"

Kakashi grinned. It was nearly thirty years since their first encounter, when he had made the call, in a split-second, not to kill the young chuunin who had been accused of turning rogue. It felt kind of fitting that they should return. And in this age of relative peace between the shinobi nations, it was no longer a dangerous journey.

"Okay."

"Really?" Iruka's eyes were shining.

"Yeah," Kakashi replied softly. His eyes arched into a smile. This felt right. "It would be good to get away. And interesting to see how things have changed." He didn't mention how great it would be to go back to the place where he first fell in love. That didn't need to be said.

"Great. Naruto has okayed it."

"You've asked him already?"

"Of course. And he's squared it with the Tsuchikage…"

"How long have you been planning this trip?" Kakashi asked, astonished that Iruka seemed to have made all the arrangements.

His husband paused. Iruka turned to look into the Copy-nin's only functioning eye, his expression filled with love. "I still remember that time so well. I know it sounds ridiculously sentimental but it was where I fell in love with you. I want us to go back there. Together."

Kakashi sighed softly as he ran his elegant fingers over Iruka's soft hair. "It would be my pleasure."

* * *

><p>It was an uneventful journey. They had decided to travel back to the beach using the route that they had returned on all those years ago, rather than journeying via the Shaku mountain range. They had travelled those paths together, even if Iruka couldn't remember large sections of the journey because he had been unconscious, carried in Kakashi's arms, on the long road back to Konoha, when neither shinobi knew what fate awaited them.<p>

The pair had decided to bring some of the nin-ken. None of Kakashi's original pack were still alive and even Pakkun's son was advanced in years, too old to travel any great distance. But the pair took along Pakkun's grandson, a lively pug called Rikku and Buru's great grandson, Buru (the bulldogs had never really been ones for imaginative naming) for company. Both dogs had heard their ancestors talk of the time they met Kakashi on a lonely beach a long time ago and wanted to see the area for themselves. They travelled with the shinobi, but were generally independent, exploring the route and its surrounds for themselves, occasionally joining up with their masters.

Kakashi and Iruka had kept a brisk pace, walking some of the route, but running part of it as well. Both had kept in great physical shape and were incredibly fit.

As the small group approached the seashore the landscape felt familiar and yet subtly altered. The topography was generally the same, but certain features of the landscape had changed. The weather throughout their journey had been amazing but was turning now, the clouds thickening and the temperature dropping slightly.

Eventually they approached the cliff edge. As they peered over the side of the sheer drop, they could see nothing but swirling mist below. It was just like the time Iruka had literally taken a leap of faith and jumped into the void at Kakashi's bidding. The Academy head took the council leader's hand in his and turned to look at him, his eyes shining with excitement.

"We'll jump, ne? Just like that first time?"

Kakashi pulled the younger man towards him and held him tightly. He was feeling strangely excited about returning to this place, to seeing their cave once more and to spending some time together, just the two of them, away from the bustle of Konoha.

Eventually he let Iruka go. They smiled at each other, clasped hands and jumped into the abyss.

They fell, tensing and preparing to flex their knees as they expected to land on the rocky ledge just a couple of seconds later.

But they continued to fall beyond the expected drop. Still poised, they didn't come into contact with the ledge.

Or anything at all.

Iruka's eyes widened.

Crap. They ledge had clearly eroded away. They were going to hit the rock at the bottom of the cliff.

Very soon.

But they had no means of preparing for the impact. They had no idea when they would hit the ground. It was a long way down thirty years ago, and the coastline might have changed significantly since.

Suddenly Iruka felt Kakashi grip his hand more tightly. He pulled his lover towards him and held him very close. Maybe this was it? If they were going to be smashed to pieces at the foot of a very tall cliff, at least they would die in each other's arms.

Iruka would have smiled at the poetic romance of it all if he hadn't been so shocked. He felt a shot of adrenaline flood through him, his pulse was racing.

Iruka blacked out. When he opened his eyes, he was standing on the cliff edge once more, held tight in Kakashi's warm embrace. As calm and skilled as he had ever been, the jounin had teleported them both to the top of the cliff. He had been unable to judge a leap to the beach, so had calculated precisely how to return to the top of the cliff using his prodigious teleportation skills.

Iruka's heart was pounding. He looked up, feeling slightly embarrassed at his reaction. Kakashi was smiling at him, his expression full of love.

And a little bit of amusement.

"Thought that was it for us?" he asked, as Iruka blushed furiously.

"No. No, of course not," the teacher tried not to stammer.

Kakashi laughed and held his lover close. "I would never let anything happen to you. Shall we climb down, ne?"

Iruka squeezed him and they both walked down the cliff face together using their considerable chakra control. When they arrived at the beach, they knew they had quite a walk to their cave. The dogs had wandered off and Kakashi assumed that they would make their way onto the beach eventually, maybe via the headland at the far end of the shore.

The beach was familiar and yet had changed in many ways. The waterfall that splashed down the cliff into the natural rock pool was still there, although the natural rock pool, where the pair had first kissed, had become broader, from several years of water erosion.

They nearly missed the cave itself, as the leafy green foliage above the entrance had grown thick and bushy. Kakashi used his kunai to cut away at some of the branches and the pair made their way inside. The air smelt slightly musty.

The first thing Iruka did was rush to the back of the cave, to see if their names were carved out on the rock face. It seemed as though there had been a slight landslip, but as Iruka brushed his fingertips over the cool stone, he felt only the faintest ridges but their names were still discernable, if only just. Obito's name, carved so many years before when he was part of Team Minato, had been erased. Iruka couldn't help feeling a little glad about that.

Kakashi had been terribly hurt at Obito's sudden appearance during the war. He had spent his youth bitterly regretting not having saved his friend, only to find that that friend, and former comrade, had betrayed him, Konoha and the entire shinobi world. Kakashi had suffered a deep depression when the war had finally been won. They physical scars healed first. Iruka was there to deal with the emotional fallout.

In the early days of their relationship, Iruka had spent a long time getting to know his lover, learning about his tragic past, understanding his idiosyncrasies and, eventually, with love and patience, giving Kakashi the space he needed to exorcise his demons. He was there for him again after the war. It had been a long and difficult process, living with a person who was shouldering so much pain, and Iruka found those dark days hard going. But he never gave up on his partner and slowly, surely, Kakashi recovered.

For Kakashi's part, Iruka had saved him from a life full of bitterness and regret. The chuunin had brought joy into his world and gave him a reason to complete every mission, knowing that he could return home to the warm, loving embrace of his partner. Kakashi would always remain grateful for Iruka's love, for his patience and understanding, and for not judging him but remaining loyal and loving throughout their many years together.

Iruka turned to his husband and beckoned him to the rear of the cave. He gripped Kakashi's wrist and showed him where their names were written on that dark cave wall. The older man grinned as his fingers brushed the faint trace of the carving in the rock.

"So where was it we first made love?"

Iruka laughed. He turned to look for the rocky ledge and Kakashi grabbed him by the waist and pulled his lover towards it.

"Do you remember that night when you were soaking wet because you'd insisted on getting those herbs for me? And I told you to take your clothes off and lie next to me?"

Iruka laughed. "I was in such a bad mood. And you thought it was funny."

"It was."

"You are so awful," Iruka said indignantly.

"I was already in love with you then and I really, really wanted to look at you as you took your clothes off. The thought of seeing you naked was so deliciously tempting."

"But as I recall it was completely dark," Iruka pondered. "There's no way you would have…"

He stopped.

And thought for a moment. Then he gasped as realisation dawned, "You _could_ have seen me in the dark. I didn't know about your sharingan and what it could do then."

Kakashi grinned.

"You filthy pervert!" Iruka shouted.

Kakashi didn't say anything. Instead he picked Iruka up into his arms and carried him to the ledge where they had spent so many days sleeping together all those years ago.

He laid Iruka down but instead of moving in to kiss him he reached for his travelling bag. He fumbled inside temporarily and then removed a small pouch, inside which was a deflated inflatable mattress. In one breath, he inflated it, then laid it down on the ledge beside his lover. Iruka climbed on top and laid back, waiting to see what Kakashi wanted to do.

"There's no way I'm spending any time sleeping on hard rock. I think we deserve a bit of comfort now we're older."

"Oh, you were planning on sleeping?" Iruka commented mischievously. "I thought we might spend the evening making love. But if you're too tired, old man…" He rolled over, and closed his eyes, pretending that he was going to doze off. "Well, night then," he yawned.

Kakashi was immediately beside him. "Don't imagine for a moment that you are actually going to get any sleep tonight, " he purred. "I have plans for you."

Iruka turned to face his lover, a naughty expression in his wide eyes. "Oh? And just what did you have in mmmnnf…"

The Copy-nin kissed him, plunging his tongue into Iruka's mouth with a desperate need. The younger man responded immediately. Kakashi pulled the teacher towards him, his hands tugging at his clothes, pulling out his shirt from his waistband and loosening the ties to his trousers.

Kakashi's fingers slipped underneath the fabric of Iruka's shirt and his calloused hands roamed over the teacher's tanned torso. After so many years the jounin knew precisely where his lover liked to be touched and he never failed to be delighted by Iruka's responses to his caresses. During the course of their relationship they had explored many sides to their sexuality – and Kakashi had discovered that his quiet unassuming lover was actually a tiger in the sack – but their love was always based on mutual respect and a desire to please the other.

It wasn't long before both shinobi were naked, hard and ready to make love. Which they did. For hours. Eventually, they slipped into a deep, contented sleep, lying in each other's arms.

* * *

><p>The next morning Kakashi awoke to find that Iruka was not beside him. It occurred to him that the teacher might have wandered off to forage for fresh food – maybe to catch some fish or pick some plants. The pair had brought with them sufficient supplies to last the journey, but both of them had recalled, with some fondness, those days on the beach where they had to find their own sustenance. And being beside the sea, the prospect of fresh fish was altogether too tempting.<p>

Not bothering to dress (he could see that Iruka's clothes were still lying on the floor of the cave where they had been carelessly discarded the night before) Kakashi made his way towards the beach. Although it was clearly a lovely day but the foliage dangling across the entrance ensured that the cave remained dark and cool. As he reached the leafy bushes, a thought occurred to the silver haired man.

He poked at the branches and leaves, tugging at them and shaking them slightly.

Sure enough, a great pile of sloppy wet seaweed descended and fell with a plop at the jounin's feet.

Kakashi smiled to himself. He wasn't going to fall for that old trick. He then pulled the green leaves aside and walked confidently onto the beach. As he did so, a second batch of sloppy seaweed landed on his head.

Damn, that bloody teacher.

Kakashi gazed across the beach to see Iruka sitting on a rock, laughing at him.

He cast his mind back to that time, thirty years ago, when Iruka had played all those pranks on him in an effort to cheer him up. He vaguely recalled a pool of quicksand, mere steps from the entrance to the cave, which he stepped into and ended up waist-deep in sopping wet soggy sand. So he leapt over a couple of metres of sand in front of the cave…

… only to land in a pool of sopping wet soggy sand. Iruka had foreseen that Kakashi, once covered in a headdress of soaking seaweed would have remembered his prank, so had positioned the pool of sand just a bit further out, perfectly anticipating that the jounin's next move would be to leap over to where he thought he could avoid the trap.

Kakashi, dripping wet, and not a little uncomfortable from the sandy pool, looked across to his lover who was laughing so hard it clearly hurt. The jounin raised his hands to form a jutsu and Iruka started running down the sandy shoreline.

The jounin created a clone which immediately started pursuing Iruka while Kakashi hauled himself out of the pool and brushed himself down. His clone was doing an admirable job chasing his lover down, and Iruka was clearly running swiftly in order to escape him. The older man had another plan though. He was going to make sure his lover would be well and truly punished.

He teleported, right in front of Iruka, who stopped immediately and turned in his tracks, only to run straight into the waiting arms of into Kakashi's clone.

Iruka struggled but he couldn't escape the clone's tight grip. Kakashi's copy spun the teacher around and gripped his upper arms, while the real jounin sauntered across the sandy beach towards him. He took his time, he knew his lover was now trapped and at his mercy.

Iruka gulped. He was aware that he was in trouble but was also very sure that he was most definitely likely to enjoy his punishment. He observed the naked ninja advancing towards him and looked appreciatively at his body. Kakashi was lean and his body toned. He was damned hot.

When the white-haired ninja reached his prey, he leaned in to kiss the teacher. His tongue forced his way into Iruka's welcoming mouth, pushing insistently.

The jounin gestured to the clone, who picked Iruka up and then sat himself down, bringing the younger man to rest on his lap. He refused to relinquish his grip on Iruka's arms – holding him gently, but firmly, he waited to see what Kakashi intended to do next.

Kakashi had a terrific sense of humour. It had taken Iruka many months to discover it but the teacher had come to realise how lucky he was to have a lover who both cared about him with a fervent passion and could take being on the receiving end of any number of pranks. He didn't realise that it was the younger man who had finally given Kakashi the opportunity to relax for the first time in his life. He had spent his entire childhood and adolescence fighting for his village and had lost everyone he had ever cared about. He had been scared to let himself love Iruka, but somehow the chuunin's joie de vivre had had a profound effect on Kakashi's outlook on life.

The Copy-nin took his time. He was very much going to enjoy punishing his lover.

As Iruka was confined by the strong embrace of Kakashi's clone, he was powerless to do anything about the relentless teasing the older man had in mind for him. Kakashi knelt in front of his lover and leaned in for another long, slow, kiss. Iruka responded immediately, but Kakashi pulled back. He sat up on his heels to admire his lover. Iruka looked utterly gorgeous and was already becoming aroused. The older man grinned then leaned in once more and started licking softly at Iruka's neck – soft, wet strokes that sent shivers of pleasure down the teacher's spine. Iruka knew what his lover was up to and began to anticipate the most delicious agony.

Kakashi started working on pleasuring Iruka's body, kissing, nipping and licking at his tender flesh. He used his nimble fingers to mercilessly pluck at Iruka's pert pink nipples. The teacher moaned at the contact, he was so sensitive. It wasn't long before he was fully hard.

Kakashi sat back on his heels and admired his handiwork. His lover was reclining in the arms of the jounin's very hot, naked clone, face flushed and panting heavily. He had a wicked grin on his face.

Years ago, Iruka would have blushed and looked away, embarrassed to have the older man stare at him. But he was really rather enjoying this and wasn't afraid to show his lover how much he enjoyed his attentions.

The jounin raised an eyebrow as he glanced downwards to notice that the teacher was now fully hard.

"So," he whispered as he trailed his fingers slowly over the teacher's rock hard abs, "You want more?"

Iruka nodded. "Then you shall have more," Kakashi promised as he leaned in to lick his lover's arousal. Iruka gasped at the contact. Kakashi smiled to himself as he heard the younger man's breathing quicken, then took his lover's erection fully into his mouth. Iruka cried out. He loved the sensation of Kakashi pleasuring his cock. He relaxed in the clone's embrace.

Without pausing for a moment, the jounin then signalled to his clone, who reached up and pulled Iruka's hair tie away, handing it to its maker. The jounin took it and let the elasticated tie slip over his hand and onto his wrist. Iruka noticed the handover and looked mildly quizzical for a second but didn't let his lover's action worry him. He was enjoying himself far too much.

Kakashi continued sucking and licking at Iruka's engorged arousal. He listened to the amazing sounds his lover was making. It always pleased him to hear how much Iruka was enjoying his attentions but he hadn't forgotten that he was meant to be punishing his lover for his pranks. He listened carefully. He knew exactly when the younger man was about to reach his climax.

As Kakashi continued to pleasure his lover with such expert skill, Iruka's heartbeat quickened. He could feel his impending orgasm building up. Eyes closed and panting heavily, he tensed, ready for blissful release.

But just as he was about to come, Kakashi released Iruka's erection from his mouth and slipped the teacher's hair tie over his hot, wet, penis, letting it come to rest at the base of his cock. The tie constricted the blood and prevented him from finding that sweet release. Right on the edge of the most amazing orgasm, Iruka couldn't come.

He cried out, "No! You tease!"

Kakashi sat back, looking smug. He then signalled to the clone, who vanished momentarily then reappeared immediately, the teleportation so swift that Iruka barely noticed that he wasn't reclining in the clone's arms for a second. Kakashi's double, having teleported to the cave, tossed the lube at its maker then continued constraining Iruka, complying with the jounin's wishes to ensure that the teacher remained as highly aroused as possible, stroking his soft skin and teasing his nipples. The younger man moaned softly, succumbing to Kakashi's sweet torture.

Kakashi grabbed the tube and squeezed a small amount of cool liquid into the palm of his hand. Then, slowly, he lubed his achingly hard erection, enjoying the sensations of his own touch, but never losing eye contact with his lover. His expression was naughty and he was thoroughly enjoying himself.

Kakashi decided not to prepare Iruka but to enter his lover directly; he was powerful and confident, thrusting insistently. Much as he wanted to hold back and tease his lover further, as soon as he felt the tight velvety warmth of Iruka's body he increased his pace. He could feel his lover tense and his breathing was becoming increasingly ragged as the pressure built up.

He glanced at the teacher, who was clearly enjoying himself, but Kakashi soon realised that Iruka wasn't going to last much longer. As Kakashi felt his own climax approaching, he reached down to remove the hair tie. Freeing Iruka's engorged erection, he pumped it relentlessly.

The lovers came together, each finding sweet release.

They lay, panting, in each others' arms for several minutes. They had always enjoyed the most amazing sex, but they were most fond of the time they spent together afterwards, holding each other, embracing. And murmuring to each other how much they loved the other.

"So you had time to prepare pranks. Have you prepared breakfast as well?" Kakashi eventually asked his lover.

"No. My job was pranks, your job was breakfast," the teacher replied with a naughty grin on his face.

"You really like to live dangerously, don't you?"

The teacher smiled and the scar across his nose wrinkled in the most adorable way.

Kakashi leaned slowly across Iruka's body, pinning him down, then reached downwards to the younger man's waist and tickled him mercilessly. It amused him enormously that Iruka was so ticklish and he loved to feel him squirming beneath him, trying desperately not to giggle. Iruka loved how affectionate Kakashi was.

They weren't especially hungry. Lying together in each other's arms, basking in the morning sunshine, they could not have been happier. They had served many years of duty to their village, engaged in battles and wars, endured injuries, lost comrades. Loyal to their village, loyal to their friends and fiercely loyal to each other.

"It was a good time, wasn't it?" Iruka smiled as he rolled over onto his back to look up at the fluffy clouds in the pale blue sky, recalling those days in Iwa thirty years ago.

Kakashi looked amused. "No it wasn't. It was bloody awful."

"Well of course there were the chakra drains, the poisoned kunai, the awful weather, loads of battles with that awful brute, that wretched scroll to retrieve..."

"My point exactly," Kakashi agreed.

"...but those days on the beach. When we finally had the scroll and spent those wonderful days together, fucking all the time. I was really in love with you."

Kakashi loved how Iruka could always see the positives in everything. He was right. While that time had involved worry, stress, fear and injury, it had – eventually – brought them together.

Kakashi replied, "I was in love with you too. Have been in love with you ever since. Think I'll be in love with you forever."

* * *

><p>And that's it. Before I forget – some people have commented on the chapter headings and title of this story. I'm afraid I'm a thief (as much as I am for using characters from Naruto and playing with them the way I have). The chapter titles have come from Shakespeare's Hamlet, the famous To Be or Not To Be speech. It's a beautiful piece of writing about Hamlet questioning the meaning of life and trying to work out whether he should carry on, despite the troubles he has faced, and his uncertain future. It kinda felt right. Okay. Well, I think that's me done for now. I can't believe that I've (eventually) managed to write two novel length stories (the other being An Unfree World). I have probably run out of steam for now. But maybe – just maybe - a cute and inspiring lagomorpha will hop my way. We'll see. Thanks again. Ja mata.<p> 


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